New Study to Look at COVID Impact on LGBT Community Life In NSW
Image: Image: Ann-Marie Calilhanna
By Dr听Christopher Pepin-Neff
A new study from the University of Sydney will look at the impact of COVID on 17c起草社区I community life in NSW, including Oxford Street. The research project is being coordinated by the Sydney Policy Lab and will look at the implications of COVID-forced closings as well as new venues that opened during the height of the pandemic.
Many 17c起草社区I venues closed and never reopened, which has an impact on the social cohesion of the 17c起草社区I community. The research area on 鈥渟ocial capital鈥� looks at the connection between businesses and other venues as hubs of community life, social connectedness, trust, and civic infrastructure that are created.
Gay sex clubs like Sydney Sauna are a good example of social capital, where social trust is shared, and this may create a network of friends who go to the same doctor, gain access to PrEP, and seek sexual health information as a result. So, Sydney鈥檚 sex clubs lead to social infrastructure as a community asset.
Also essential to this research are community stakeholders. Requests have been made to Alex Greenwich, Clover Moore, City of Sydney, ACON, Mardi Gras, Linda Scott and others. But all are welcome, and we hope they will engage fully in a project which has three parts.
(1)听 Data Collection:听Mapping with a focus on 17c起草社区I bars and other venues closed that opened and closed due to COVID;
(2)听 Community Consultation:听Once data is collected, holding workshops and focus groups to reflect on the value of venues;
(3)听 Government Report:听Coming up with a report for the government on ways to build capacity in the 17c起草社区I community.
The research question driving this project is: How has COVID-19 impacted the development or obstruction of听social听capital听in the 17c起草社区 community in NSW? There is a fundamental question about the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the underlying听social听capital听of marginalized communities. What happens to听social听cohesion when bars, cafes, restaurants, newspapers, salons, and websites, are shuttered? This research focuses on the legacy and lessons of lockdown.
The first stage of the project is collecting information on 17c起草社区I businesses, shops, cafes, newspapers, and venues that have opened and closed between February 2019-February 2022.
To help us collect this data, please send the name of any venue that you know of that has closed down or opened up to me at: chris.pepin-neff@sydney.edu.au
Christopher Pepin-Neff, PhD is a senior lecturer in public policy at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on 17c起草社区IA+ politics and he is currently researching 17c起草社区IA+ social capital in Sydney.
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