Wagga's Matika Little gains role as ambassador for #GlowUpYourOwnWay campaign

Matika Little is a proud Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi woman and is passionate about Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ representation.

Raised by a single mother of five, Ms Little grew up in public housing and always worried she would never fit in. In fact, she needed to come out twice, as people assumed she had been in a "phase" when she was younger.

"I had my first girlfriend when I was 13 or 14 but I didn't come out until I was 21," she said. "I got a scholarship to a boarding school in Sydney which changed my life."

Ms Little has spent her early twenties doing her part to represent and uplift her communities.

The co-founder of the podcast Coming Out Blak, Ms Little also works within the Indigenous education and employment space.

She is a public speaker, occasional writer and was named one of Out For Australia's 'Change Makers of the Year' in 2020.

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This week, Ms Little adds another string to her bow, joining Olay as an ambassador for the #GlowUpYourOwnWay campaign with Minus18 and Mardi Gras.

In light of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia last week, Olay revealed that nine in 10 LGBTQI+ young adults in Australia say they have struggled in the past with feeling comfortable in their skin and expressing their true self.

And, 98 per cent have held back from attending an event out of fear of being judged.

These statistics are all too familiar for Ms Little who, before coming out as a lesbian, felt incredibly afraid and alone.

"While I am disappointed in that statistic, I am not surprised by it," she said.

"Outside of these safe spaces that a lot of people in the queer community create for themselves ... being outside those can be quite uncomfortable. You feel like you stick out."

Ms Little is excited to have a new platform to share her story and message with a wider audience. She added that her 13-year-old self would be surprised at her work in this space, but also amazed.

"There's still a lot of discrimination that exists for our community," Ms Little said.

"There are a lot of fights that our communities can be fighting together.

"My hope for young queer Indigenous people today is that they also face their fears; they also stand up, take up space and say: 'what I have to say matters'."

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