Minus18 Foundation

Together, we made a HUGE difference during Trans Awareness Week! 🏳️⚧️ Across the sector your engagement, visibility, and commitment to inclusion all contributed to building a brighter future for the trans and gender diverse community. You helped signal something powerful and more important than ever: that workplaces can and should be spaces where trans people are seen, respected and celebrated. Although Trans Awareness Week has come to an end, trans awareness doesn’t end here. Your ongoing commitment keeps the momentum to ensure safer futures for trans youth. Join us in continuing to build workplaces where every trans person can thrive. 🩵🤍🩷

🏳️⚧️ Today, we’re observing Trans Day of Remembrance, and taking a moment to pause, reflect and recognise the resilience of trans and gender diverse communities. We’re reminded that inclusion isn’t symbolic; it’s achieved through everyday actions and allyship. Minus18 Foundation remains committed to building workplaces and communities where every young person can thrive comfortably just the way they are, and we encourage leaders to champion this culture of safety and respect. 🩷🩵🤍 May today inspire small, steady actions that make a real difference. 🎨 Stunning artwork by Zo Lam.

Trans Awareness Week is a chance to celebrate trans pride, spotlight trans joy, and uplift voices and stories from our community. 🏳️⚧️ We asked trans youth to share their experiences and moments of trans joy, their responses are a beautiful reminder of what inclusion makes possible 💖 Trans joy is here to stay! Let’s keep amplifying trans voices and building trans inclusion across our communities. Get involved via https://buff.ly/lnHnNlW ✨ Trans Awareness Week artwork by the talented Zoe Lam!

After over six years of service, three of which as Chair of Minus Foundation, Charles Hammersla has retired from the Board of Minus18 Foundation. The Minis18 team would like to thank Charles for his leadership and service in advancing Minus18 through a period of significant growth and change. In recognition of his service, the Board resolved to award Charles Hammersla the honour of Minus18 Champion. We are deeply grateful to Charles and wish him well with his future endeavours. (From left to right, pictured is current director Stephen Foxworthy, retired director Gemma Denton, Charles Hammersla, and current director Ewan Cleland. They’re at Pride March.)

Allyship can be effortless, joyful and deeply impactful; just like these illustrations by Zo Lam. 🏳️⚧️✨ Our Queer Youth Now survey found that 86% of LGBTQIA+ young people feel safer and more like they belong when they see someone wearing pride or ally accessories. Visibility matters. Explore the collection and choose the pieces that speak to you. Your visibility helps build communities where young people feel safe and supported. Shop the range: https://lnkd.in/gkEcMNMy

Not everyone discovers their gender identity right away, and that’s completely okay! This Trans Awareness Week, we’re recognising all the young people who are exploring, questioning, and still on their journey to find the words that feel just right. One of our Young Leaders opens up about their experience with labels, offering a reminder that identity isn’t a race or a requirement. You’re enough at every stage. Check out their story to see how their journey might resonate with your own. 🩵🤍🩷 https://lnkd.in/gBB4wVD5

Trans Awareness Week starts TODAY! 🩵🤍💖 This year, take action with us to build inclusive spaces where trans and gender diverse people can thrive, and celebrate the joy of being seen, heard, and valued just as they are. In collaboration with amazing artist Zo Lam and the Trans Justice Project LTD., we’ve created a FREE (and adorable) to download double-sided poster you can display in whichever way you like to show your support. You’ll also find all new digital resources, learning opportunities, and more ways to uplift your workplace or school community on the Minus18 website: https://lnkd.in/g2gi2-6s Because Trans Joy is powerful, beautiful, and worth celebrating today, every day, and all year-round. #TransAwarenessWeek #TransAwarenessWeek2025

We are still beaming from the incredible energy from Queer Formal® Adelaide 2025 - a night filled with connection, laughter and queer joy! 🌈✨ This year, over 320 young people came together to celebrate proudly and authentically. Creating a space where queer youth got to be themselves and experience the joy and belonging they deserve. This celebration provided a vital opportunity for LGBTQIA+ young people to connect, build community, and feel seen and supported. 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this possible - from our partners, youth workers, volunteers, and to every attendee who brought the night to life. Your support ensures that LGBTQIA+ youth can thrive. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! 🕺 📸: Kyahm Ross Minus18 Foundation, Bonds, lululemon, BankSA, Bupa, Fay Fuller Foundation

🏳️🌈 Queer Formal® Adelaide is happening tomorrow, and we couldn’t be more excited... or more grateful to our incredible activation partners who make this event possible every year. Each Queer Formal® creates moments of connection, creativity, and community for LGBTQIA+ young people. It's thanks to Bonds, SHINE SA, and headspace's Adelaide, Edinburgh North, Onkaparinga, and Marion centres that we can bring the heart, the sparkle, and a whole lot of queer joy to Adelaide this weekend. These activations make Queer Formal a night to remember: an affirming and inclusive celebration of belonging and self-expression. 🌈

This AFLW Pride Round, Minus18 was proud to collaborate on incredible activations at five different matches, where clubs and sponsors showed up to make a powerful, visible statement of inclusion for LGBTQIA+ young people. 🌈🏉 💙🤍 North Melbourne FC North Melbourne hosted a record-breaking AFLW attendance record at Arden Street Oval - where rainbow ribbons were handed out, and an affirmation wall collected youth voices. There was a half-time interview with Bec Herft, Minus18’s Partnerships Team Lead and the first AFL National Pride & Allies Committee Chair, who shared heartfelt words on safe spaces for queer young people of colour in sport. 💙💙 Carlton Football Club We loved joining the Guard of Honour, as Mitch Brown and Lou Keck handed out handheld rainbow flags as we walked onto the pitch. This year marks Carlton Football Club's eighth year of support for Minus18's mission. 🖤🤍 Collingwood Football Club Collingwood hosted Minus18's Young Leaders to participate in the Guard of Honour, Coin Toss, and Ball Carry. This powerful act of inclusion ensured queer young people were visible and celebrated. ❤️🖤 Liberty | Essendon Football Club Essendon's home game included a 'blend and bike' activation, the energy and enthusiasm was electric. Rainbow ribbons and smoothies were both in high demand, sending a clear message of support through the crowd. 🤎💛 Hawthorn Football Club Minus18's Young Leaders & staff, wrote personal letters to the AFLW players, sharing the ‘why’ behind the round and who they were playing for. The Hawthorn players shared that they absolutely loved the powerful and personal messages from team Minus18. Across these games, their collective impact is changing what inclusion looks like in the AFL - Australian Football League; building a future where LGBTQIA+ young people feel safe, celebrated, and welcome on every field. 🌈🏉 Read more about the importance of Pride Round and the impact of these clubs and sponsors here https://buff.ly/dgcHiSo