今日吃瓜

Star Observer is thrilled to announce its new Managing Editor is Chloe Sargeant (she/they), an award-winning Melbourne-based journalist with more than a decade of media experience under her belt.聽

Chloe has built her reputation on dedicated reportage and creating unique digital content. But much of their work has also revolved around being a staunch, opinionated and steadfast advocate for both the LGBTQI+ and disability communities.聽

in countless publications including SBS, ABC, pedestrian.tv, Junkee, them.us, Daily Life, whimn, Concrete Playground, Broadsheet and Vogue Italia.

鈥淚鈥檓 over the moon and so proud to be joining the talented team at Star Observer,鈥� says Chloe.聽

鈥淛oining Australia鈥檚 oldest LGBTQI+ media organisation鈥� a masthead that is so deeply ingrained into and beloved by our community鈥� is truly one of the greatest honours of my career.鈥�

Journalist of the Year

Chloe鈥檚 bio humbly reads 鈥榳riter, reporter, editor, radiantly queer ne鈥檈r-do-well鈥�, but her years of hard work has resulted in platforms being given to the voiceless, and stories that reach into the heart of our community.

They have been recognised on countless occasions for their stand out journalism, and outspokenness on behalf of their communities.聽

Chloe won Journalist of the Year at the Australian LGBTI Awards in 2017, and has also been a recipient of a Valories Award from The NSW Gender Centre.

 

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Disabled and queer

Chloe identifies as non-binary, bisexual and queer, and is also a proud disabled person who lives with a chronic illness and dynamic disability.聽

After being diagnosed with a chronic pain and fatigue condition that they have lived with for more than a decade, Chloe decided more people needed to learn about the lives of chronically ill people, and help the community find one another for support.聽

So they helped create a social media space for chronically ill people (members of which now number in the thousands), and also started a podcast called 鈥楥hronically Fully Sick鈥�. Chloe is currently also writing her first book, which is about how to live your best life when you are a young person with a chronic illness.

鈥淭he experiences of disabled and chronically ill people are largely ignored by society 鈥� and it鈥檚 bullshit. I refuse to let my community be silenced and disregarded.聽

鈥淭he LGBTQI+ community in particular has high rates of disability and chronic illness 鈥� I want to share our stories, because our voices deserve to be heard.鈥�

鈥淥ur community has a bigger platform and more acceptance than ever before, but our battles are not won yet 鈥� there鈥檚 still a lot of fight for.聽

鈥淚 want to ensure that we are spotlighting those in our community whose intersections of marginalisation mean they鈥檙e still facing major hurdles.聽

鈥淭hat means the trans and gender diverse community, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the disabled community, and many more.鈥�

 

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Determined to make our voices heard

In Chloe鈥檚 role as Managing Editor, she will manage Star Observer鈥檚 national print editions and oversee digital content for all of Australia.聽

However, being based in Melbourne, Chloe says she is 鈥渄eeply passionate about doing right by Melbourne鈥檚 LGBTQI+ community鈥�.聽

鈥淢elbourne is such a unique place, and its LGBTQI+ community is just as distinctive.

“We have so much going on here, and yet our stories sometimes go under the radar. But our stories are something to behold 鈥� and I want to hear more of them. I鈥檓 really passionate about helping queer Melbourne writers have a platform to share their stories far and wide.聽

鈥淪o if you鈥檝e got a Victorian LGBTQI+ news story or want to share share your lived experiences, make sure you get in touch!鈥�

Chloe also says that as someone who grew up in the outer northern suburbs of South Australia, she personally understands that LGBTQI+ news needs to work harder to extend beyond the Eastern Seaboard.

鈥淐oming from South Australia myself, I know that the LGBTQI+ community outside of Sydney and Melbourne often feel ignored and underrepresented. And rightly so 鈥� our stories so often don鈥檛 see the light of day.聽

鈥淲e all need to work together to make sure we鈥檙e doing right by the incredible and diverse Australian LGBTQI+ community 鈥� ALL of it.鈥�

鈥淪o as the new Managing Editor of Star Observer, I want to hear and share stories from Melbourne, Adelaide, Queensland, Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Tassie, and all the suburban areas and regional towns in between.聽

鈥淚f you鈥檙e an LGBTQI+ person in Australia with a story, or writer with a queer news pitch 鈥� please don鈥檛 hesitate to chuck me a message, because I鈥檓 here to hear you.鈥�

Got a story to share? You can contact Chloe at chloe@ssonet.com.au, or find her , or