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Gay and lesbian issues - discrimination

Ima
ge
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crip

Whilegayandlesbianpeopleareasdiverseastherestofthepopulation,theirsharedexperience
ofdiscriminationcreatescommonhealthissues.Australiansocietygenerallyregards
heterosexualityasthemostacceptablesexualorientation,whichmeansthatgaymen,lesbians
andbisexualpeoplemaybemarginalisedanddiscriminatedagainst.
Transgenderandintersexpeoplemayalsoexperiencemarginalisationanddiscriminationinrelation
totheirhealthandwellbeing.Intersexreferstoabiologicalconditionwhereapersonisbornwith
reproductiveorgansand/orsexchromosomesthatarenotexclusivelymaleorfemale.The
previoustermforintersexwashermaphrodite.

Sexuality and violence

A2008studyof390gay,lesbian,bisexualandtransgender(GLBT)Victoriansfoundthatnearly
oneinsevenreportedlivinginfearofhomophobicviolence.Thisfearwasjustifiedinthatnearly85
percentofrespondentshadbeensubjectedtosomeformofhomophobicviolenceorharassment
intheirlifetimesandoneintwohadexperiencedhomophobicharassmentorothernon-physical
abuseinthepasttwoyears.
Ineighty-fivepercentofcases,violenceandharassmentwereprecededoraccompaniedby
homophobiclanguage.Sexualassaultwasalsocommon,withnearly5percenthavingbeen
subjectedtothisformofviolenceoverthelasttwoyears.
Amongsamesexattractedyoungpeople,violenceanddiscriminationwerealsocommon.A2010
studyof3134youngAustraliansfoundthat61percenthadsufferedverbalabusebecauseoftheir
sexuality,18percentsufferedphysicalassaultand69percentsufferedotherformsof
homophobiasuchasexclusionrumoursandgraffiti.

Homophobia and heterosexism

Homophobiameansfearofhomosexuality.Somepeoplemayfeelthreatenedbypeoplewhohave
sexualpreferencesotherthantheirown.Theymayexpressthisfearinavarietyofwaysranging
fromsubtlediscriminationtoovertviolence.
Heterosexismisthebeliefthateveryoneis,orshouldbe,heterosexualandthatotherformsof
sexualityareunacceptable.Thisbeliefmayunderpinarangeofareasforexample,healthpolicy,
healthservices,welfareandeducationservicesandcanmakegayandlesbianpeoplefeel
invisible.Thiscanhavearangeofimpacts.Forexample,itmaymeanthattheformyoufillinata
medicalservicemayhavenoplacetorecordthatyournominatednextofkinisasamesex
partner.Ifyouareayounggayperson,youmaynotbepermittedtotakeasamesexpartnerto
theschoolformal.

Health impacts for gay men and lesbians

Whilemanythingshaveimprovedforgayandlesbianpeopleoverthepast50yearsinAustralia,
thereisstillconstantuncertaintyaboutwhethertheywillreceiveacceptancefromfamilies,friends,
colleaguesandservices.Theconstantpressureofdealingwiththisuncertaintyhasanimpacton
health.
Gaymenandlesbianshavehigherratesofmentalhealthdisordersthantherestofthepopulation.
Theyalsohavehigherratesofobesity,smokingandunsafealcoholanddruguse,andaremore
likelytoself-harm.
Theseconditionsdevelopinresponsetodifferentscenariosincluding:

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comingout,onlytoberejectedbyfamilymembersandfriends
beingbulliedortauntedbyschoolmatesonadailybasis
homophobicjokesorharassmentintheworkplace
beingthreatenedorbashedwhenoutonthestreet
hidingpartofyourselfinsocialsituationsforfearofbeingrejectedormarginalised
feelingguiltandshameaboutyoursexualityinthefaceofnegativemessagesbeing
deliveredbythesocietyaroundyou.

Gay men, lesbians and health professionals

Researchsuggeststhatgaymenandlesbianshavereducedaccesstomedicalcarecomparedto
heterosexuals.Someoftheissuestheyfaceinclude:

Themajorityofgaymenandlesbianshavehadexperienceofhomophobichealth
professionals.Thismaymakethemlessinclinedtoseekmedicalhelp,ortheymaywait
longerbeforetheyseekhelp.
Healthprofessionals,particularlyinruralareas,maybeinadequatelyinformedaboutgay
andlesbianhealthissues.
Gaymenandlesbiansmayexperiencedifficultiescommunicatingwithmedical
professionalsbecauseofthefearthattheymayneedtocomeoutduringtheconsultation
andriskreceivinglessfavourabletreatmentasaresult.
Therighttoprovidemedicalconsentmayberefusedtosamesexpartners,inspiteofthe
factthatitisnowillegaltodoso.
Gaymenandlesbiansmaybereluctanttohavetheirsexualityrecordedintheirhistories
duetothefearthatothersmaygainaccesstotheirrecords.
Reducedaccesstoservicesleadstoreducedlevelsofscreeningingayandlesbian
populations.Thisislikelytoaccountforthehigherlevelsofsomecancersinthesegroups.

Manyhealthservicesclaimthattheytreateveryonethesame,butthisusuallymeansthatthey
treateveryoneasheterosexual.Gayandlesbianpeopledonotneedspecialmedicaltreatment,but
theydoneedtreatmentthatisfairandappropriate.

Equity and legal rights for gay men and lesbians

Partofthereasongayandlesbianpeopleexperiencemarginalisationisthatfederal,stateand
territorylawsdonotoffergayandlesbianpeopleuniformprotectionagainstallformsof
discrimination.Forexample,TasmaniaandQueenslanddonthaveanylegislativeprotection,while
Victoriahasrecentlyintroducedarangeofnewprotectivelaws.
TheStatute Law Amendment (Relationships) Act 2001(Vic)calledTheRelationshipsAct
meansthatVictoriangaymenandlesbianshavemostofthesamelegalrightsasheterosexual
couples,althoughtheycannotmarry.Priortothesechanges,Victorianlawsgoverningsuchfactors
aspropertyrightsandstampdutywereapplicableonlytoheterosexualcouples.
In2009,theFederalgovernmentwentfurtherandchanged58lawsthatdiscriminatedagainstgay
andlesbianpeopleandtheirfamilies.

Victorian gay and lesbian reforms

Legalrecognitionandprotectionofrightsisapowerfulsteptowardsimprovingthehealthand
wellbeingofgayandlesbianpeople.In2003,VictoriawasthefirststateinAustraliatoestablisha
MinisterialAdvisoryCommitteeongayandlesbianhealth.ThecommitteeproducedtheVictorian
Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Victorians.
TheVictoriangovernmenthasalsobeenproactiveinfightinghomophobiainschoolsby
establishingtheSafeSchoolCoalitionofVictoria.
In2009,theVictorianGovernmentinitiative Well Proud A guide to GLBTI inclusive practice for
health and human serviceswasreleased.Thisisasetofguidelinesforhealthservicestoimprove
sensitivitytoissuesforGLBTIpeople.TheycanbeaccessedontheGayandLesbianHealthVictoria
website.
GayandLesbianHealthVictoriawasestablishedin2003andisfundedbythegovernmentto
providetrainingforhealthcareproviders,producehealthresourcesandmaintainaclearinghouse
ofhealthinformationforgayandlesbianpeople.

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Where to get help

GayandLesbianSwitchboardTel.(03)96632939or1800184527
EqualOpportunityCommissionVictoriaTel.(03)90323583,or1300292153.
VictorianGayandLesbianRightsLobbyTel.0417484438
GayandLesbianHealthVictoriaTel.(03)94798700

Things to remember

Apersonssexualityhasanimpactontheirhealth.
TheproblemdoesnotliewithGLBTIindividuals,butwiththeattitudesandbehaviourof
thesocietyaroundthem.
Researchsuggeststhatgaymenandlesbianshavereducedaccesstomedicalcarebecause
oftheirfearofdiscrimination.
Theconstantpressureofdealingwiththehomophobiaofothersmakesdepression,among
othermentalhealthproblems,relativelycommon.
HealthservicesneedtotaketheinitiativetomakeGLBTIpeoplefeelwelcomeandsafe.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

GayandLesbianHealthVictoria
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