A wise person once said that love is what makes a house a home. Well, that person must have known Dr Joseph because, oh my, his office space is simply transformational! Join MONGA and Dr Joseph N. Goh from the Gender Studies Major at SASS as he gives us an exclusive tour of his “queerdom,” his rainbow-infused, pink-triangled and lavender-lounged workspace personalised with mementos, trophies and trinkets that represent his life journeys. 

Upon his arrival in 2016, he knew that one of the first things he had to do was “Josephy” his office space. Like any of us, he wanted to make it a safe and comfortable space for himself; a space where he feels a sense of belonging, and a space where he can be himself. By doing this, he also strives to create an inclusive space where students and staff alike can come and talk to him without any fear of judgement. He first began the tour by showing us a cabinet filled with gifts from past students and staff that he’s received over the years, pointing out a little orange origami crane that a student gave him as the most precious gift he’s received from a student. 

Whenever we give someone a gift, be it a card or just a little token of appreciation, it’s always nice to see it displayed or in use as it shows a reciprocity of the love and thought put into the gift. So it was such a beautiful sight to see Dr Joseph’s notice board also filled with various tokens of appreciation ranging from thank you cards from students and overseas colleagues, to vintage postcards from his time in the United States. The most heartwarming of which were the postcards from his late partner who would mail them back whenever he’d travel overseas. He said that his partner would often return home before the postcards would arrive but hey, it’s the thought that counts right? I know I would love to receive handwritten postcards from my partner overseas as if we were star-crossed lovers in an old English drama but guys nowadays can barely reply to a text message, let alone writing a postcard. *Dramatic sigh* 

Anyways, Dr Joseph’s office walls are covered with paintings and tapestries that reflect his sense of faith as a Christian, as well as his Sarawakian heritage. He proudly showed us a stunning piece of copper tooling art that he did himself in Form 6, which depicts a man playing a ‘sapeh’ (traditional Bornean instrument) in front of his son. His office is truly a safe and inviting space as he even has a little spiritual corner with photos of different holy personages and departed loved ones. He says that this corner grounds him and reminds him that he’s never alone in his journey, which I think is a really beautiful message that we all need a reminder of sometimes. He even makes a few sassy jokes, referring to himself as a beloved ‘guncle’ as he proudly showed us a few photos of his niece and godchildren.

When we first approached the idea of Humans of Monash Part 2, what initially caught our attention and sparked this segment were the doors of the lecturers’ offices, particularly Dr Joseph’s office. If you didn’t know, staff members like to decorate their glass doors with photographs and stickers that showcase their personality. As we walked past the staff offices one day, Dr Joseph’s door caught our interest as it was the most decorated one in the building and luckily, we managed to catch him in his office for a quick breakdown on some of the visual elements behind the door. In this interview, he managed to give a more detailed explanation. What stood out to me among the obvious themes of spirituality and LGBTQIA+ was a shocking image of Valak right smack in the middle of it all. As a horror fanatic, I had to ask him what the story was behind that photo, to which he blatantly said that it’s him… Laughing at our shocked and confused faces, he further explained that Valak represents a contradiction of something that is good and bad, the juxtaposition of a ‘demon’ nun. He says it reminds him that he has the ability to do good as well as the humility of knowing that he can do bad, which I think is also a truly insightful analysis of Valak’s character (even though it doesn’t stop her from haunting me in my dreams sometimes).

There are so many more beautiful elements of Dr Joseph’s office that I couldn’t manage to fit into this article, but to all students and staff, please feel free to walk by his office to contemplate the many elements that represent who he is and I promise that you will be entertained by his sassy quips and enlightened into a deeper understanding of spirituality and sexuality. 

Full 7-part interview video available here: 

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Do you know any other cool office rooms? Or an intriguing story about an unexpected connection or a memorable experience you’re eager to share with the world? Don’t keep it to yourself! Share it with MONGA on Instagram @musamonga! Your story matters to us, and we can’t wait to hear from you!

Featuring: Dr Joseph N. Goh

Coordinated & interviewed by: Kaira

Written by: Shania Poh

Photos by: Jin Yi