Cassidy Winter

Gender is complicated at the best of times, and expressing it in words often fails to capture its complexities and can often overcomplicate the core of it. But to attempt to do so; I am a transgender, nonbinary, Autistic, genderfluid, gender-nonconforming lesbian. “But Cassidy, what does Autism have to do with gender?” I’ve found that it has a lot to do with how I perceive my own sense of self, as does my experiences with anxiety and depression. By taking on this role I intend to strengthen and serve our entire community. I want to bring us together while acknowledging the extra challenges faced where marginalisation intersects in an individual. My tertiary education started with a Bachelors in Forensic Science at Griffith University, which I finished in 2016. Ultimately deciding that the field of Forensics was not in line with my values, I chose to pursue a more academic path. I completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Wildlife Science in 2020 with a capstone research project on the efficacy of 3D printing nesting boxes for birds and tree-nesting mammals. I completed an Honours project in 2021 on Flying Fox population dynamics at the Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security. In 2022 I started a PhD on Invertebrate diversity on Green Roofs with the Green Infrastructure Research Laboratories. Aside from being LGBTQIA+ officer for GUPSA, I am also currently a Co-Leader of the Griffith University Rainbow Society. The Rainbow Society is a student social/support club intended to support our community at Griffith. We hold regular events such as weekly coffee catchups on QCA and Nathan campuses, as well as board game nights and movie nights.