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The Magazine

Interview with Dr. Mandy Henningham

Bisexual, Queer, Non-Binary Indigenous Academic

  • By: Elyse
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Mandy Henningham

Mandy Henningham (pronouns: she/they) is a bisexual queer non-binary Indigenous person. An academic who was born, raised, and continues to live on Dharug land, and whose family (known as “mob” in Australia) is from Butchulla Country, Australia. She has achieved a PhD, and her research interests focus on gender and sexuality among marginalized populations.

Dr. Henningham wrote an article on their experiences of being queer and Indigenous in Australia for the journal, Social Inclusion, that focuses on analyzing her lived experiences as a way of exploring broader issues. It is about her experience of living with borderland identities—being on the fringes of her different identities—and the impact this experience has on her social and emotional well-being, as well as her career and social interactions. Dr. Henningham described a sense of disconnectedness from her country and family, as well as challenges as a result of colonialism and of assimilation. She will be participating in the DBIWP panel on Indigeneity, gender, sexuality, and decolonization, which will be an educational conversation with a global perspective.

Q. What made you want to participate in DBIWP programming, particularly given that it is in DC and you are based in Australia?

Colonization is an ongoing global issue that continues to impact Indigenous peoples around the world. Despite us all being different, we all share so many of the same or similar experiences. I’m looking forward to connecting with other First Peoples, to share our stories, and to share our hope as well.

Q. What is important to you about an event like DBIWP?

The coming together. The celebration of us. To showcase our strengths and culture and to revel in how empowering it is.

I think now more than ever we need to come together to show our intersectionality, our solidarity, and our strengths . . . we need to continue to take up space. We won’t be silenced, and we are stronger together.

Q. Can you share a bit about the work that you do?

I’m an interdisciplinary academic, so my research spans across sociology, health, education, and gender and sexuality, mostly around Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ health, wellbeing and identity. At the moment, I’m working on a few different projects around bisexuality (and other bi+ identities) which I’m really excited about. I also teach the Indigenous Rights class as part of our Master of Social Justice program where I get to meet so many wonderful and passionate students who are really dedicated to Indigenous justice. We do a lot of land-based learning activities which offers a really grounded and tactical approach to learning about Indigenous rights issues. I’m also the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for my School, so I spend a lot of time advocating for students and staff who are Indigenous, have disabilities, are from diverse cultures, are neurodivergent, are queer—anyone who might be marginalized in a university environment. We are working on creating a more inclusive environment by holding various events, training, and inclusive art around the School. I really want to take the School to being not just inclusive, but celebratory of diversity.

Q. I would love to hear your reflections on the significance of DBIWP’s events through the lens of your work.

DBIWP events really highlight the richness of our cultures, our intersectionality, our histories, and our strength and solidarity as we stand together. It truly is an intersectional act of celebration as resistance.

Q. I’m wondering if you could speak to the ways that your position as an Indigenous person has impacted your perspective.

Kinship is everything. Quite literally. The harm done in one area, impacts everything else. Our people, our environments, our foods, our animals, our plants, our waters, our spirit, our communities, our families. There is no compartmentalization when everything is so interconnected. That’s why it is so important to stand together against injustices.

Q. If you have one take home message for 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous folks attending DBIWP, what would it be?

Revel in culture. Celebrate us. Connect with each other. We are stronger together.

Q. If you have one take home message for allies attending DBIWP, what would it be?

Learn from us. Create space for us. Champion us.

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