People With Purpose: Chrystale Langford
Honouring Intersectional Advocacy this IDAHOBIT
Each year on 17 May, communities around the world mark IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia. The date commemorates the 1990 decision to remove homosexuality from the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. But beyond this historical milestone, IDAHOBIT is a call to action: to stand with LGBTIQ+ people against discrimination and for a world where everyone can thrive.
In Canberra, this call is answered by many voices, but one in particular stands out, Chrystale Langford. A proud Wiradjuri woman, University of Canberra alumna, and tireless advocate for LGBTIQ+ inclusion and neurodiversity, Chrystale brings lived experience and leadership to some of the most important conversations of our time.
Her story isn’t about a single cause. It’s about what happens when identity, community, and advocacy intersect, and how creating safer, more inclusive spaces benefits us all.
From Lived Experience to Leadership
Chrystale’s journey reflects the layered realities many Australians live with, where culture, queerness, and neurodivergence are not separate boxes, but part of a whole, authentic self. Navigating these spaces hasn’t always been easy, and that’s part of what drives her work.
As a Wiradjuri woman, Chrystale is grounded in community, connection to Country, and a deep sense of responsibility to future generations. As a member of the LGBTIQ+ community and an advocate for neurodivergent inclusion, she knows firsthand what it means to push back against exclusion, whether it’s in schools, workplaces, or public policy. She uses these insights to speak out. Not just for herself, but for others who might still feel they need to hide parts of who they are to be safe, accepted, or successful.
Through her public speaking, community work, and academic contributions, Chrystale brings visibility to people who are often made invisible, not by lack of value, but by systemic barriers and social norms that have yet to catch up with the rich diversity of our communities.
The Power of Representation
Representation matters. When people see themselves reflected in leadership roles, public platforms, and policy conversations, it creates ripples of change, shifting perceptions, inspiring courage, and challenging assumptions.
Chrystale’s presence across Canberra’s civic, academic, and cultural sectors has done exactly that. Whether working with young people, mentoring emerging leaders, or contributing to educational programs, she models what inclusive leadership looks like: grounded, informed, and community-first.
Her connection to the University of Canberra is especially significant. As an alumna, she continues to work closely with the institution to ensure that it supports First Nations students, LGBTIQ+ communities, and people with lived experience of disability or neurodivergence. This is not just about access, it’s about equity, and the knowledge that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.
When institutions like universities reflect the full spectrum of human experience, they become places not just of learning, but of belonging. That’s a change Chrystale is helping to make real.
Why IDAHOBIT Matters: Locally and Globally
The IDAHOBIT campaign reminds us that discrimination is not just a relic of the past. In 2024, LGBTIQ+ people still experience disproportionate rates of violence, homelessness, mental health challenges, and barriers to employment. For people who sit at the intersection of multiple identities, like First Nations LGBTIQ+ Australians or neurodivergent queer people these challenges are often magnified.
That’s why advocates like Chrystale are so vital. They help us understand how systems of oppression overlap and how inclusion strategies must do the same.
In Canberra, IDAHOBIT is recognised through community events, educational forums, and workplace acknowledgements. But its real power lies in the stories of those who live this work every day, those who remind us that visibility without action is not enough.
By sharing her story, Chrystale invites others to do the same, and in doing so, creates a more compassionate and connected community.
What Inclusive Advocacy Offers Us All
One of the most profound truths in Chrystale’s work is this: when we make space for those at the margins, we create a better world for everyone.
LGBTIQ+ inclusive practices in workplaces don’t just benefit queer staff, they promote psychological safety, trust, and collaboration across the board. Recognising neurodiversity in leadership isn’t a favour, it’s smart, adaptive governance. And listening to First Nations voices isn’t a tick box, it’s essential for justice, equity, and healing.
In a time when division can seem louder than unity, Chrystale’s leadership reminds us that intersectional advocacy is not just possible, it’s powerful. Her work speaks to a Canberra that is stronger because of its diversity, not in spite of it.
Looking Ahead
As we mark IDAHOBIT this year, Purpose Media CBR honours Chrystale Langford as a person of purpose. Someone who is lighting the way for others, not by pretending to have all the answers, but by living her truth, and making space for others to do the same.
In the words of this year’s IDAHOBIT theme—"No One Left Behind"—we are reminded that inclusion is not a niche issue. It is central to the health and future of our community.
So let us keep listening. Let us keep learning. Let us follow the example of people like Chrystale, who are showing us what it means to build a Canberra where everyone belongs and no one is left behind.
