Bold Voices, Bright Futures
Wear It Purple Day 2025 is on Friday 29 August. This national celebration promotes safe, empowering and inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ young people.
At UQ, it’s an opportunity for students, staff and community to come together in visible support of the rainbow community through campus events, activities and conversations.
This year’s theme, Bold Voices, Bright Futures, is reflected in UQ’s commitment developing and maintaining welcoming, respectful and inclusive work and study environments where all people feel comfortable and safe to be their authentic selves.
Get involved with Wear It Purple Day at UQ
Wear it Purple
Friday 29 August
Wear it Purple Colour Run & Walk and Rainbow Course
Thursday 28 August, 11:45am - 1:30pm
The Pavilion building 53C and UQ Sport Playing Field 2
The Colour Run and Rainbow Course is open to all staff and students. Run, walk or cheer your way through the course, an interactive space with games and activities designed to spark conversations and raise awareness about LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
Wear it Purple Trivia hosted by Drag Queen Anya Bike!
Thursday 28 August, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Woolloongabba Hotel
Celebrate Wear it Purple Day on the UQ Art Museum Lawn
Friday 29 August, 10am - 4pm
UQ Art Museum Lawn, St Lucia
UQ Art Museum will be celebrating with a full day of free activities on the Art Museum lawn, and inside. All UQ staff, students and community welcome.
Wear it Purple Day: Tony Albert in Conversation
Friday 29 August, 1–2pm
UQ Art Museum, St Lucia
Join UQ Art Museum on Wear It Purple Day 2025 to hear from internationally renowned artist Tony Albert (he/him), whose practice explores representation, identity, history and politics from his perspective as a queer Girramay, Yidinji, and Kuku-Yalanji man. Learn about Tony's experience of making it big in the art world while keeping true to his community, his identity and his sense of humour.
Students are invited to submit questions for the artist ahead of time here.
(Portrait of Tony Albert courtesy National Gallery of Australia.)
Wear it Purple Day: Made with Meaning | Beading Workshop with Tony Albert
29 August 2025 2 - 3pm
UQ Art Museum, St Lucia
Inspired by Tony Albert's 'You Wreck Me Rosaries', UQ Art Museum invites you to create your own beaded affirmations this Wear it Purple Day. With the artist's guidance, take what's important to you and turn it into a proud and fun-to-wear beaded accessory that shouts your hopes, desires and protests for the future.
Yoga in the Museum: Affirming Queer Identities with Jothi Udaya Shan
Friday 29 August, 9am - 10am
UQ Art Museum, St Lucia
Join UQ Yoga and Meditation Club on Wear it Purple Day for a one-hour yoga session under the grand pipe organ in UQ Art Museum. Hosted by global peace scholar and yoga practitioner Jothi Udaya Shan this yoga session will explore meditations that affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA+ identities.
EAIT - Wear It Purple Day 2025: Morning Tea
Friday. 29 August 10.30am - 11.30am
Dr Mary Mahoney AO Amphitheatre, St Lucia
Join the EAIT faculty this Wear It Purple Day for Pride-themed cupcakes and conversation at the beautiful Dr Mary Mahoney AO Amphitheatre Sound Shell. Bring your own morning tea if you prefer. Click the link below to submit your RSVP and receive a calendar invite as a reminder to attend.
Everyday ways to show your support
Place visible signs of support around your work/study space, and on Zoom (try our background image)
Wear your Ally badge/lanyard or other rainbow/pride badges
Include pronouns in your email signature and Zoom name
Take a stand against negative and destructive language and assumptions
Use people-centric language
If you get it wrong – correct yourself where appropriate and move on
Help to confront the silence and discrimination that normalises heterosexuality at the expense of people with diverse sexuality and gender
Educate yourself and be an agent of change to help develop and maintain an inclusive and diverse culture at UQ
LGBTQIA+ Networks and Support at UQ
UQ Ally Network
The UQ Ally Network is an award-winning program that provides a visible network of well-informed staff who create a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for sex, gender and sexuality diverse people at UQ and in the broader community.
UQ Allies are not experts about matters of sexuality, sex and gender - they are people who strongly support UQ's stance on making the University an accepting, positive, diverse and inclusive space.
In particular, a UQ Ally understands the reasons why:
- many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and aromantic (LGBTQIA+) people are not in positions to speak out on their own behalf, or are fearful of being harassed or discriminated against
- it is so important to have staff who are prepared to support and participate in developing a positive and inclusive environment for staff and students with diverse sexuality, sex and gender.
You can contact an Ally for confidential support, information or advice. They also promote our commitment to developing a safe and inclusive work and study environment. For more information on how to be a good Ally, read our Tips for UQ Allies.
Respect Network
The Respect Network is a network of staff and students at UQ dedicated to cultivating a university environment free from all forms of sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment. Respect Network Ambassadors are UQ staff and students who promote a safe, respectful, inclusive, and violence-free culture at UQ by working alongside UQ Respect and Workplace, Diversity and Inclusion.
Respect Network Ambassadors play an active role in the prevention of violence, harassment and discrimination by:
Attending learning and professional development opportunities organised by the Respect Network
Promoting key campaigns, resources and services from UQ Respect and Workplace Diversity and Inclusion within their networks
Volunteering at Respect Network events to help the network reach a wider audience
Using their voice to influence key prevention initiatives at UQ
Creating culture change requires us all to understand the roles we can each play in our day-to-day lives to create safer communities, whether we're studying, working or connecting at UQ.
LGBTQIA+ Bursaries and scholarships at UQ
What does it offer?
- $4,500 awarded to one student, for the duration of one year
- Available for domestic and international students, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework, who identifies as LGBTQIA+, can demonstrate financial need, and commitment to the community
What does it offer?
- One-off awards between A$500 and A$2,000 per year
- Open to domestic and international students, undergraduate, postgraduate or research, who identify as LGBTQIA+, can demonstrate financial need, and have shown commitment to the community
Established in 2013, the UQ LGBTQIA+ Scholarship provides crucial financial assistance to UQ students of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities. These bursaries, starting from $500, support students facing financial challenges at any stage of their studies. By helping to alleviate their financial burdens, the Bursary empowers LGBTQIA+ students to focus on their education and achieve their full potential. In 2024, the University had 24 applications for the scholarship, twice more than the year before.