Queer Theory Reading Group
6 Feb–4 Dec 2025
Get ready for a year of thought-provoking discussions, where queer theory meets creativity, poetry, and community!
This monthly gathering is your go-to space for big ideas, lively conversations, and connection with like-minded thinkers. See below for the schedule.
Originally founded at RMIT University in 2018, the Queer Theory Reading Group quickly became a hit, drawing in an enthusiastic crowd of creative and curious minds. Now, with over 100 people on our mailing list, it’s become a platform to celebrate excellence in LGBTIQA+ thinking and research while fostering a vibrant queer academic community, outside of universities.
Here’s what makes our sessions special...
New Host Every Month: Dive into readings that have inspired, provoked, or transformed their thinking.
No Homework: Readings are done together during the session, so discussions are fresh, responsive, and engaging.
Inclusive Atmosphere: Everyone is welcome to join, and Blindside Gallery is a fully accessible venue.
Zoë facilitates each session, framing the conversation, introducing the host, and keeping the vibe fun and thought-provoking. Whether you’re an academic, artist, or just curious, we’d love to have you join us!
When: Monthly sessions on Thursdays from 6.30 - 8pm throughout 2025.
Where: Blindside Gallery.
If you have any questions or specific needs, don’t hesitate to email Zoë at hello@zoebastin.com
Come along, bring your ideas, and let’s keep queer theoretical discourse alive!
Session One - Thursday 6th February
We’ll be using segments from Foucault’s Discipline and Punish to explore the arrest of Luigi Mangione and TikTok ‘GRWM’ videos with Spyke.
Spyke studied an undergraduate degree with Honours in Gender Studies and a Master’s in Social Work. She currently plays in a punk band, where she yells at paying audiences about her political woes, and works in Family Violence.
UPCOMING DATES FOR READING GROUP.
March 13
April 10
May 8
June 5
July 3
August 14
September 4
November 6
December 4
The Queer Theory Reading Group is back with all your gay theoretical and philosophical ideas. Hosted by Zoë Bastin at Blindside Gallery once a month for 2025.
Get ready for a year of thought-provoking discussions, where queer theory meets creativity, poetry, and community! This monthly gathering is your go-to space for big ideas, lively conversations, and connection with like-minded thinkers.
This program takes place on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded - this land is stolen land. We pay respects to Wurundjeri Elders, past, present and emerging, to the Elders from other communities and to any other Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders who might encounter or participate in the program.
Zoë Bastin is a choreographer, performer, researcher, and educator with a practice deeply rooted in the expressive and critical dimensions of contemporary dance. Known for her dynamic and experimental approach to movement, Zoë's work explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, and cultural influence, creating performances that challenge conventional expectations and encourage audience engagement beyond passive spectatorship. As the first queer woman to serve as artistic director of a contemporary dance company in Australia, Zoë continues to shape and contribute to Naarm/Melbourne’s vibrant dance community.
Completing her PhD at RMIT University in 2021, Zoë’s research examined the philosophy of the body through a queer-feminist lens, engaging with critical theory and phenomenology to challenge and expand representations of bodies in dance. Her creative works and academic inquiries often intersect, leading to performances that are both conceptually rigorous and viscerally affecting. In her performance That Which Was Once Familiar (TWWOF), Zoë explored how cultural norms inscribe gender and sexuality onto bodies, often objectifying them. Presented by Dancehouse and Bus Projects for Midsumma Festival, the work deconstructs femininity’s restrictions and reimagines queer autonomy on stage.
Over the past decade, Zoë’s work has been supported by leading cultural institutions such as Dancehouse, Abbotsford Convent, Villa Lena Art Foundation (Italy), and ImPulstanz Festival (Austria) and has been presented both in Australia and Internationally. Recently, her project Waves Are Disturbances explores social histories tied to oceanic environments, translating these narratives into immersive site-responsive performances. With a growing portfolio of cross-disciplinary collaborations, including a long term partnership with composer Grace Ferguson, Zoë continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance by weaving together choreography, sculpture, and performance art in innovative ways.
Zoë’s dedication to mentorship and education has led her to academic roles at Deakin University, where she teaches interdisciplinary subjects bridging fine arts and performance. She also actively contributes to the governance and strategic direction of arts organisations, advocating for inclusive, research-driven, and socially aware artistic practices that enrich both audiences and the broader community.