I am thrilled to share that my next research project, titled Cis Paralysis and the Power of Unlearning: Rethinking Gender in Education , has officially received ethics approval from the academyEX Research, Enterprise and Ethics Working Group. This marks the next step in continuing the work I started during my Master of Change and Organisational Resilience. This project builds upon my earlier focus on how educators can develop more gender-inclusive mental models. This time, I am going deeper, exploring how cisnormativity shows up in education and how reflective and relational tools, such as the UNLEARN podcast, might support educators in unlearning limiting assumptions and engaging more meaningfully with gender diversity. Why does this next step matter? During my masters, I heard from many educators who wanted to support rainbow students but felt paralysed by fear of getting it wrong. This hesitation, which I refer to as cis-paralysis, is worth investigating. My goal is to better under...

 I recently presented the final outputs of my Master’s research project, which explored how educators in Aotearoa New Zealand can be supported in developing gender-inclusive mental models. This presentation marked a significant milestone. Not only in the research journey itself, but also in how I’ve once again grown as a researcher, educator, and advocate. It was not my first Master's, but it was just as powerful as the first one.  During the presentation, I summarised my research process and key findings, which included a national survey, co-designed podcast episodes (UNLEARN), and community collaborations. I also reflected on the challenges and learnings that shaped the direction of this work. I'm proud to share that my final outcome was a Pass, but more than that, the feedback I received from the panel was deeply moving and affirming. “Your research demonstrated outstanding critical thinking and a deep engagement with the kaupapa, reflecting a high level of academic rigour ...

I’m proud to share that the latest episode of the UNLEARN podcast is now available, and it’s a powerful one. In Episode 7: How Can Educators Relearn Gender Together? , I speak with Dr Emma McGuirk, a rainbow educator, activist, and anthropologist, about what it really means to be part of social change in education. We explore Emma’s journey of self-discovery, her mahi with Rainbow Hub Waikato, and the challenges both students and teachers face when navigating gender diversity in schools. Drawing on her social anthropology background, Emma shares powerful insights into the historical and cultural fluidity of gender, and how colonisation disrupted those diverse expressions across many societies. Together, we talk about normalising social transition, building peer support among teachers, using inclusive language in maths problems, and hosting rainbow wānanga. Emma reminds us that allyship isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about showing up, listening deeply, and acting with care. 🎙...

When I first began exploring how to better support educators in developing gender-inclusive mental models, I knew that creating resources alone wouldn’t be enough. The way support was designed and the values and assumptions embedded in it would matter just as much as the content. Through a practice-based, design-driven research journey, I came to understand that meaningful change in education needs tools that are not only informative but also relational  and  reflective. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, these design principles I have been working with create a flexible foundation. My goal has been to provide guidance rooted in real-world needs while leaving space for adaptation. In this project, developing design principles helped ensure that the tools I created, such as the UNLEARN podcast episodes, remained aligned with the diverse realities of educators and gender-diverse students across Aotearoa New Zealand. Here are my Design Principles 1. Flexible, Low-...

As part of my Master of Change and Organisational Resiliense Education journey, I recently wrote a piece for academyEX titled A Master's Journey in Gender-Inclusive Education Through Podcasting . In it, I reflect on how this research has become something much bigger than an academic task for me — it’s evolved into a platform for collective learning, courage, and connection. IF you have been following my journey, you know that my research explores how educators in Aotearoa New Zealand can be supported in developing gender-inclusive mental models. Early on, I realised that simply offering information wasn’t enough — we also need spaces where educators can reflect, question, and grow. That realisation sparked the creation of my podcast, UNLEARN, where I bring together stories, research, and honest conversations to help educators challenge assumptions and build more inclusive classrooms. In the article, I share how I designed a national survey to better understand where teachers are st...

The UNLEARN podcast continues to evolve as a research-informed space for educators exploring gender inclusion. Since my last update, I’ve been deep in analysing the survey data from teachers about their learning on gender diversity, planning a listener and co-designer survey, and reflecting on how this research can shape future support for educators. Alongside this work, I’ve also recorded two new episodes, now available to listen to! Episode 5: What Do We Mean When We Speak About Safer Spaces?  with Chelsea This episode explores the concept of safer spaces , particularly in education. Through research and practice, we examine what contributes to creating environments where gender-diverse students can thrive. What does the literature say? How do educators interpret and implement this in their work? Episode 6: How Can Our Lived Experiences Help Us Unlearn?  with Slay This episode explores the concept of safer spaces, particularly in education. What does it mean to create a spac...

I am thrilled to share that the UNLEARN podcast now has four episodes available, and you can listen to them on Apple Podcasts too ! Reaching this milestone has been a journey of passion and learning—and yes, jumping through a few hoops to get the podcast onto Apple Podcasts, but it’s worth it to make it easier for educators like you to tune in. A quick recap of the episodes so far: Episode 1: Who am I, and why do I want to support teachers in gender inclusion? This episode introduces the UNLEARN podcast and my personal journey—why I am passionate about gender inclusion in education and how I hope to inspire teachers to create inclusive classrooms. Episode 2: How Can Our Common Values Help Us Unlearn and Embrace Gender Diversity? In this episode, I explore how shared values and mental models can guide us in challenging biases and fostering a more inclusive mindset, offering practical examples for educators. Episode 3: How Can Gender Statistics Challenge and Inspire Teachers? with Sylvia...

On this journey towards creating gender-inclusive belonging in education,  reflection  could be a vital step. That seems to play a crucial role in no matter what I am teaching or preaching about. That’s why the most recent episodes of the UNLEARN podcast now include reflective questions . These questions are designed to spark personal and professional growth for educators, encouraging us to examine our own biases, values, and teaching practices. Why Reflective Questions? I hope reflection helps us move beyond passive listening and into active learning. By integrating reflective questions into each episode, the podcast might become not just a source of information but also a tool for transformation. These prompts could guide listeners to think critically about what they’ve heard, connect it to their lived experiences, and consider practical ways to foster more inclusive classrooms. Each of the episode pages includes the reflective questions, together with all the links to...