Questioning the inclusivity of events: the queer perspective

Abstract

Event programmes are typically designed with a target audience in mind, and such design can inherently signal inclusion or exclusion of marginalised segments. This is particularly the case for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) individuals, whose sexual and gender identities position them as an invisible minority on the periphery of society. Given the role of events in building community spirit, it is essential to ensure all members of a community feel able to participate in order to create a sense of belonging, fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals of inclusivity in community. Through the lens of Social Dominance Theory and in pursuit of equality for LGBTIQ+ communities, in-depth interviews were conducted with sexually diverse (queer) participants to explore their perceptions of inclusivity at community events. This study explored how elements of an event could serve to enhance or attenuate prejudice, and therefore influence the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ communities.

Keywords:

• Non-heterosexual
• LGBTIQ+
• tourism
• queer
• inclusivity
• events

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Faith Ong

Faith Ong is a Lecturer in Tourism at The University of Queensland's Business School. Her research interests lie in the role of tourism, hospitality and events as tools of social change. In particular, she focuses on inclusivity for marginalised communities in events and tourism. She has published in the areas of volunteer tourism, volunteerism, critical events and sustainability. Faith is currently undertaking research on inclusivity at events relating to marginalised communities, exploring the signals of inclusion and exclusion at occasions that are meant to bring communities together.

Clifford Lewis

Clifford Lewis is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Charles Sturt University. His research currently focuses on inclusivity within a rural context – specifically considering the LGBTQI+ community. Aligning with his belief that academic research should contribute to the betterment of society, he is passionate about using research to develop interventions for social problems. Before beginning his academic career, he was the Head of State (NSW) for a global market research company. In that role, he led a team of researchers on projects that informed policy and practice across Australia. He holds a PhD in Marketing, focusing on Destination Branding.

Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta

Dr Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta is a leading expert on LGBTQI+ communities in the context of leisure, hospitality and tourism. His research interests are the sociology of tourism, tourist behaviour, and LGBTQI+ tourism. Dr Vorobjovas-Pinta explores LGBTQI+ travellers as neo-tribes, who come together from disparate walks of life but are united through shared sentiment, rituals and symbols. He has a broad interest and industry experience in innovative tourism research, and is involved in a number of projects focusing on resilience, and on technology-enabled advanced tracking of visitors. These projects have each been built on extensive stakeholder and industry engagement.