DEI Will Not Die

Some DEI practices deserve another chance. Some don't. In this episode, Bree launches a new format: Keep, Kill or Fix. Bree puts unconscious bias training, Pride logo swaps, anti-racism strategies, "You Can't Ask That" panels and "bring your whole self to work" on trial. One gets a keep. Two get killed. And one gets a brand new verdict Bree made up on the spot. Because the success of DEI work isn'...

Bree goes solo on perimenopause and menopause at work, starting with their own experience as a trans non-binary person seeking care in medical settings where the language (and the decor) assume you're a woman, and how perimenopause and ADHD combine to affect day-to-day capacity. From there they take on the standard workplace response: why a specific menopause policy or dedicated leave can backfire...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Bree Gorman sits down with Professor Nareen Young, Director of the UTS Centre for Indigenous People and Work, to go inside Gari Yala 2. Designed and led by Indigenous researchers, it's the national survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees' workplace experiences. They discuss why "cultural load" is better described with the term unpaid workplace...

Prof Dimitria Groutsis and Prof Jane O'Leary have spent 15 years researching how Australian workplaces measure (or fail to measure) ethno-racial diversity. In this episode, they unpack why Australia still has no equivalent to WGEA's gender reporting for race, how sanitised language like "culturally diverse" has let organisations avoid the word race altogether, and why the way a question is worded...

Bree goes solo on LGBTIQA+ inclusion in 2026: what's changed, what's stayed the same, and why organisations pulling back right now is the opposite of what needs to happen. Drawing on this year's focus groups and consultations, they unpack what employees are asking for (hint: it's not another Pride morning tea) including irreversible public commitments, visible queer leadership, secure and purposef...

Professor Michael Flood joins Bree to unpack why engaging men is essential to gender equity work, not an afterthought. They cover why men often fail to recognise everyday sexism, the "social norms" trick that gets more men speaking up, and a care-based lens on violence prevention that reframes accountability without losing compassion. The conversation also digs into why parental leave uptake among...

Bree talks with William Ward-Boas, a proud Autistic and First Nations advocate with intellectual disability from the LGBTIQA+ community, about what genuine co-design requires and why most organisations aren't actually doing it. Drawing upon over seven years' experience across the advocacy sector, William draws a sharp line between consultation and co-design, unpacks the trauma embedded in asking p...

Andrea joins Bree for an honest conversation about what anti-racism actually requires inside Australian workplaces, and why most organisations get it wrong. Drawing on her own experience as a woman of colour navigating largely white public sector organisations, Andrea unpacks the difference between individual racist behaviour and structural racism, why "I don't see colour" invalidates the people i...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Bree Gorman takes on one of the most charged topics in the field right now: artificial intelligence, and what it means for diversity, equity and inclusion. Rather than landing on whether AI is "good" or "bad" for inclusion, Bree makes the case that it is both at once. It creates genuine access and equity for people who have long been excluded, while at the same...

Bree's first international guest, Carrie Sawyer, joins to talk about her book Ripples of Inclusion. a question-and-answer guide to anti-racism that grew out of the conversations people were having after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Carrie and Bree dig into why "can't we just get along?" is more loaded than it sounds, how privilege becomes harmful through gaslighting rather than its existenc...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Bree Gorman is joined by Dr. Judy Lundy to explore what becomes possible when organisations build a structure that doesn't rely on a traditional hierarchy. Judy shares her lifelong connection to equity, from being told at 14 that she couldn't train guide dogs because she was a girl, to her current work teaching and researching diversity, equity and inclusion. T...

In part two of their ADHD series, Dr Bree Gorman shifts from friction points to practical strategies for managers, peers, and people with ADHD themselves. Bree unpacks what actually helps ADHDers thrive at work: redefining productivity away from desk time, building structured flexibility, breaking work into chunks, reducing cognitive load, and normalising different working styles. They also call o...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman is joined by leadership coach, speaker, and CEO of the Disability Leadership Institute, Christina Ryan, to explore the barriers disabled leaders face, and what it really takes to design workplaces that work for everyone. Together, they unpack the assumptions that sit beneath traditional leadership development, why disability is so often misunders...

ADHD isn't just an attention issue and most workplaces still don't understand that. In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Dr Bree Gorman shares their lived experience of ADHD at work and why motivation, regulation and environment matter more than people think. From deadline panic and burnout cycles to admin paralysis and rigid productivity norms, Bree unpacks what gets in the way and what actually h...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman is joined by Paul Byrne-Moroney to unpack what meaningful inclusion of the intersex community actually requires. Paul shares his lived experience to challenge common misunderstandings about intersex, including the tendency to conflate biological sex with gender identity. Together, Bree and Paul explore why intersex is not a gender identity or sex...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman explores what meaningful trans and gender diverse inclusion actually looks like inside organisations. Bree challenges the common starting point of "rolling out pronouns" and explains why visibility initiatives alone do not create safer workplaces. Instead, real inclusion requires organisations to examine the systems and structures that shape peop...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr. Bree Gorman is joined by Belonging and Inclusion Strategist and Founder of Belonging Co, Mantej Singh, to explore how leaders can move beyond compliance and tokenism in DEI work. Together, they unpack seven barriers that Mantej believes stall meaningful progress, including HR-only ownership, compliance mindsets, delegation without accountability, and what r...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr. Bree Gorman explores recruitment as a powerful, but often over-relied-on tool for building diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces. Bree unpacks why improving hiring processes alone isn't enough, and how recruitment changes can fall flat when they're not supported by broader system change across the organisation. Drawing on experience, Bree examines whe...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman unpacks the limits of gender equality action plans when intersectionality is treated as an afterthought. They explore how compliance-driven approaches can unintentionally widen privilege gaps and pull organisations away from more holistic DEI work. Drawing on real-world experience, Bree challenges "fix the people" programs and makes the case for...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman sits down with gender equality leader Michelle Redfern to explore what it really means for organisations to choose the "right side of history" when it comes to DEI. They unpack why compliance and quotas aren't enough on their own, how global politics influences corporate strategy, and why intersectionality must sit at the centre of any genuine ge...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman explores how we respond when harmful behaviours show up in our workplaces. From microaggressions and exclusionary comments to ongoing discrimination, Bree unpacks the difference between calling in, calling out, and calling on, and how each approach can support learning without compromising safety or accountability. Drawing on research and real-li...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman reflects on how transferable skills can shape a meaningful career in DEI. From their beginnings as an analytical chemist to becoming a DEI strategist, Bree shares how critical thinking, stakeholder engagement, and bridging divides all play a role in creating more inclusive workplaces. They also open up about navigating ADHD, career transitions, a...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman and Andrew Fitisemanu explore what it really means to be a DEI consultant in today's world. They unpack the myth of "expertise" in a field that's still growing and discuss why humility, honesty, and collaboration are essential for lasting impact. Drawing on personal experiences and candid reflections, Bree and Andrew share insights on protecting...

In this episode of DEI Will Not DIE, Dr Bree Gorman explores the role of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and how to build inclusion in long-standing organisations. Creating meaningful DEI change isn't straightforward, existing structures, competing priorities, and unclear objectives can all get in the way. Bree shares insights on how to start with a DEI action plan, clarify the purpose of ERGs, an...

In this episode of DEI Will Not Die, Dr. Bree Gorman is joined by Winitha Bonney OAM for a conversation on how DEI practitioners can influence leaders and organisations. DEI work can be uncomfortable, and resistance from leadership is common. So how do you bring leaders on board, understand what drives them, and know when to push forward or when to pause and re-assess? Drawing on their own experie...