5 Ways for Queer People to Recognise NAIDOC Week
26 Jun 2025
NAIDOC Week is Australia’s biggest celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Unlike other important First Nations days of awareness—such as Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week—that focus on how other Australians can address colonisation, NAIDOC is specifically about celebrating First Nations culture.
With the failed Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023 and a treaty still in the pipeline, it’s more important than ever for all Australians to show their support for our First Nations peoples.
There are countless ways to get involved in NAIDOC Week, but here we’re looking at it through a queer lens—focusing on how LGBTIQA+ people can specifically support LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Rainbow Mob!
Rainbow Mob are an integral and vital part of our queer communities here in Australia and deserve to be uplifted and included year-round. But this NAIDOC Week, let’s explore some of the ways you can show your solidarity with our First Nations communities.
1: Donate to the Vic NAIDOC Pride Gala
Each year, Vic NAIDOC hosts a Pride Gala to celebrate the Blakness and brilliance of Rainbow Mob. It’s a space for community to come together and celebrate identity in a safe and affirming environment—this year with an emphasis on the strength, vision, and legacy of the next generation.
This important event is under pressure in 2025, with Vic NAIDOC not receiving any government funding. Thanks to the dedication of their staff and volunteers, all events are still going ahead, but they need support. A GoFundMe has been launched to help fund their programming. All mob and allies are encouraged to contribute what they can to help ensure the Pride Gala continues for years to come.
2: Attend a Mob+ Event
Mob+ is a peer-led support group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with HIV, operating out of the Positive Living Centre. While not exclusively for Rainbow Mob, Thorne Harbour’s Mob+ events are a great way to engage with community.
Their NAIDOC Week program centres around the creation of a possum skin cloak—a culturally significant artwork that will be sewn during the week and presented at the World AIDS Day memorial on 1 December. Drop by the PLC between 11am–3pm from Tuesday 8 July to Friday 11 July to take part in a workshop. All are welcome to participate.
3: Register for VACCHO’s Rainbow Mob Training
If you work in the health or wellbeing sector, consider registering for VACCHO’s free online training, designed to help you better support Rainbow Mob. The session covers intersectionality, cultural health determinants, and how to deliver culturally safe care.
Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to connect with other professionals through a Community of Practice and lived experience group. Improving your workplace’s cultural awareness is a tangible way to support the health and wellbeing of Rainbow Mob.
4: Buy Rainbow Mob Merch
The iconic Clothing the Gaps is a community-led, certified Victorian Aboriginal business producing merchandise with a message. While their ally gear is well known, they also offer a small range of items specifically supporting Rainbow Mob, including a pin and a long-sleeve shirt.
Purchasing anything from Clothing the Gaps supports Aboriginal-led health initiatives. And wearing your Rainbow Mob merch with pride helps raise awareness, encourage inclusion, and signal cultural safety.
5: Display the Poster, Learn the Theme
One of the simplest ways to take part in NAIDOC Week is by downloading and displaying this year’s official poster. You can also access a range of social media tiles and banners to use across your digital platforms. This year’s artwork, Ancestral Lines, was created by Jeremy Morgan Worrall.
It’s worth getting familiar with this year’s theme too: the next generation, strength, vision and legacy. This year marks the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week—a powerful moment to celebrate past achievements and uplift the next generation of First Nations leaders. Engaging with the theme shows you’re informed and invested.
There are so many ways to get involved in NAIDOC Week. It’s a time for all Australians to come together and celebrate the oldest living culture on Earth. For LGBTIQA+ people, it’s also a time to honour Rainbow Mob, their unique identities, and the incredible contributions they bring to our communities.
Whether you’re donating to the Pride Gala, attending an event, registering for training, buying merch, or simply displaying the NAIDOC poster, you’ll be making a meaningful step in celebrating and supporting First Nations culture.