Voices of Us Ep. 9: Beaw and Muskaan: Be an Ally: Voice Out for Your Queer Interantional Friends

City of Melbourne Libraries

‘Be an Ally: Voice Out for Your Queer International Friends’ About Voices of Us: 'Voices of Us' (VOU) is a podcast that shares authentic stories from LGBTQIA+ international students, alumni and allies. This episode is part of the project “Voices of Us Ripples.” In today’s episode of Voices of Us, we will be speaking with Muskaan and Beaw, both of whom are young international students and strong allies of the LGBTQIA+ community. For Muskaan and Beaw, an LGBTQIA+ ally is someone who fully supports their queer friends, strives to understand challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, and stands in solidarity with their queer friends. Growing up in different cultures, Muskaan and Beaw have different stories of how they’ve become allies. Muskaan and Beaw also talk about potential resistance and backlash of being an ally, and some tips on being a supportive ally are shared. About the host: Born and raised in Sichuan, China, Feifei Liao (she/her) is dedicated to bringing queer international students and allies together through storytelling, curiosity and shared experience while championing inclusion, diversity and equity. As a creative producer, curator, facilitator, multicultural consultant, contemporary dancer, public speaker, recovery educator and advocate, elevating others to explore their full potential and enabling silent voices to be heard and expressed are Feifei’s heartland. Follow Feifei: feifeicuriosity.com About the speakers: Muskaan (she/her) is a passionate advocate for change and inclusion, delivering meaningful contributions across policy, education, and mental health. She thrives on transforming ideas into action and is committed to creating supportive and welcoming spaces. A passionate ally for LGBTQ+ rights, Muskaan stands firm in her belief that allyship is crucial for progress. Her vibrant energy and enthusiasm shine through in all her efforts, driven by her conviction that a better world is possible when everyone has a seat at the table. Beaw (she/her) is a proud global citizen with a passion for psychology and diversity. She is an upbeat graphic designer and illustrator for the OurPoint3 community. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is studying for a Master of Teaching Secondary (specialising in psychology and media arts) as an international student at Monash University. She is firmly setting her sights on a career path that empowers individuals and promotes mental health and well-being in innovative ways. Beaw also thrives on helping people find happiness in their life journey, including embracing themselves. She prioritises her commitment to fostering inclusivity and acceptance as an LGBTQIA+ ally. About Our Point 3: Our Point 3 is a not-for-profit organisation bringing LGBTQIA+ international students, alumni and allies together, to enable our community to grow and thrive in an inclusive, welcoming and equitable world. Voices of Us Production Team: Feifei Liao (she/her) - Founder, executive director, host Yihan Li (she/her) - Podcast Coordinator Jespher Wen (he/him) - Communications Officer Seng Doi - Podcast Engineer Tom Zeng (he/him) - Project Support Officer Connect with Our Point 3 Like and subscribe to our channels to stay updated with new episodes Website: https://www.feifeicuriosity.com/ourpoint3 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourpoint3.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourpoint3/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ourpoint3 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ourpoint3 @ourpoint3 #voicesofus #VOUep9