Key Area:

LGBTQIA+ People Living with Disability

We began our work in addressing the systemic disadvantage faced by LGBTQIA+ people living with disabilities in 2016. 

Over the course of 10 grant rounds thus far, a range of small, medium and very large disability service providers and community organisations have been funded for ‘change within’, inclusive practices projects.

This provides a range of models other organisations may wish to follow to be more inclusive.

Partner organisations

Our knowledge in this area is significant, but there are many groups that have real expertise and lived experience, and we want to work with them in partnership. Groups we have collaborated with include…

Advisory committee

APRIL 2016–SEPTEMBER 2020

Chair Ian Gould (PFA), Ruth McNair (PFA), Ruby Mountford, Nathan Despott, Jake Lewis, Margherita Coppolino, Jax Jackie Brown, Christine Mulholland (DHHS), Kirrily Hayward (activist), George Taleporos, Jarrod Marrinon, Liam Leonard (La Trobe Uni); Terry Broadway, Michael Langtree & Vicki Morrison (all, Broadtree Foundation); Fiona Smith, Felix Neighbour and Bevin Berkin (DHHS), Keran Howe.

Funding granted to groups advocating for LGBTQIA+ People Living with Disability

Different Journeys

2021 | $10,000

Building Bridges between Autism and LGBTQI Communities

The employment of members of the LGBTQI+/Autism community to attend our events as leaders, mentors, ambassadors and deliver LGBTQI+ topics into our ongoing event programming, community building, advocacy, and communication strategies.

Working It Out

2019 | $22,500

LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practices for Disability Services

A bespoke professional learning package to deliver to the Tasmanian Disability sector, based on existing work already undertaken in this space by Inclusion Melbourne’s Design Lab. The emphasis is on developing LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices within disability support services.

Yooralla

2022 | $20,000

My Identity . My Choice “A safe journey to explore LGBTIQA+ identity for people using disability services

Improved LGBTIQA+ expression within Yooralla via education and training to shape awareness and attitudes: * Min 4 workshops, 4 focus groups for adults with disability

  • Min 4 workshops and support for Yooralla Staff
  • Support safe exploration/supported decision making of persons who may be LGBTIQA+
  • Promote “Coming out is OK” refer to VALID Alliance. * Training materials available free online to disability services nationally.
  • Inclusion Melb “My Rainbow Life” & “The Rainbow Guide”

Deakin University

2018 | $74,896

Experiences of LGBTIQ People Living with Disabilities

A social research project to understand the experiences of LGBTIQ and gender diverse people with a disability in Australia today; identify systemic health, social and relational factors that impact on full inclusion and sexual rights; and, develop evidence based recommendations on policy and practice change.

UNI NSW DEMENTIA CENTRE FOR RESEARCH COLLABORATION

2018 | $20,000

Evaluation of an e-learning resource supporting LGBTIQ people with dementia and changed behaviours

An evaluation of a DCRC developed eLearning resource for those providing care to LGBTI peoples with dementia and changed behaviours to help improve the effectiveness of the resource to support change in practice. Collaboration with the National LGBTI Health Alliance – Silver Rainbow LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care to aid evaluation design, resource uptake and recruitment.

Aspergers Victoria Inc

2018 | $17,788

Interpreting the Spectrums: Understanding barriers to health care for the LGBTIQ+ autistic community

Aspergers Victoria in partnership with The Shed, TGV and Spectrum Intersections, to develop portable resource kits to explain common barriers for Autistic LGBTIQA+ People when accessing health services. A 12-month project to produce educational materials to help bridge communication and cultural barriers faced by Autistic LGBTIQA+ people within the medical system and build future employment pathways for advocates.

Northcott Innovation Ltd

2018 | $10,000

Velvet Expressions

A project by Northcott Innovation (NI) to tackle one of societies last remaining taboos – sexuality and disability, by giving a voice to LGBTQI people with disability in regard to their capacity to engage in sexuality activities of their choosing and the barriers (physical, environmental, social) preventing them from participating in those activities.

Melba Support Services (Victoria)

2017 | $24,240

Sexuality, Equality, Disability

12 full-day workshops about LGBTI specific needs and 21 one-on-one planning sessions, to build capacity of the Disability Sector to improve support and outcomes for people with a disability who identify as LGBTI.

Inclusion Melbourne Inc

2017 | $20,392

Supporting the inclusion and wellbeing of LGBTIQ people with intellectual disability

The development of practice-based training materials for use by disability support organisations, and the delivery to a LGBTIQ-orientated pilot of high-quality sexuality awareness for PWID (people with an intellectual disability).

Rainbow Health Australia (Formerly GLHV), LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

2016 | $20,000

The lived experience of LGBTI people living with disabilities

An international literature review and re-analysis of Australian data, to build the evidence on lives of LGBTIQ people living with a disability, to inform health service development, community building and culture change to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ people living with a disability.

Academic publications

LGBTIQA+ People with Disability printable poster

MARCH 2021

What LGBTIQA+ people with disability are saying - 2021 Pride Foundation event

MARCH 2021

More Than Ticking A Box: LGBTIQA+ People With Disability Talking About Their Lives

MARCH 2021

O’Shea, A., Latham, J., Beaver, S., Lewis, J., Mountford, R., Rose, M, Trezona, A., Frawley, P. (2020). More than Ticking a Box: LGBTIQA+ People With Disability Talking About Their Lives. Geelong: Deakin University

LGBTIQ disability self-advocacy: A report on the results of a survey of LGBTIQ people living with disability in Victoria

NOVEMBER 2020

Lewis, J. & McNair, R. 2020. LGBTIQ disability self-advocacy: A report on the results of a survey of LGBTIQ people living with disability in Victoria

Experiences of LGBTIQA+ People with Disability in Healthcare and Community Services: Towards Embracing Multiple Identities

NOVEMBER 2020

O’Shea, A.; Latham, J.R.; McNair, R.; Despott, N.; Rose, M.; Mountford, R.; Frawley, P. Experiences of LGBTIQA+ People with Disability in Healthcare and Community Services: Towards Embracing Multiple Identities. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 202017, 8080. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218080

Self Advocacy in Healthcare: A toolkit for LGBTIQA+ autistic people, their family, carers, friends, support workers, and advocates

AUGUST 2020

McNair R, Andrews C, Wark A. Developing a model of care to support trans and gender diverse people experiencing homelessness – final report, 2018, University of Melbourne,  at URL www.lgbtihomeless.org.au

“Where’s the human dignity in that?”: LGBTQIA+ people with intellectual disability exploring sexual lives and respectful relationships

APRIL 2020

Genée Marks, Amie O’Shea, Keith R. McVilly, Patsie Frawley & Nathan Despott (2020) “Where’s the human dignity in that?”: LGBTQIA + people with intellectual disability exploring sexual lives and respectful relationships, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 32:3, 354-376, DOI: 10.1080/10538720.2020.1752875

The everyday experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people living with disability

JULY 2018

McNair R, Andrews C, Wark A. Developing a model of care to support trans and gender diverse people experiencing homelessness – final report, 2018, University of Melbourne,  at URL www.lgbtihomeless.org.au

Latest News

The latest updates on our work addressing LGBTQIA+ people living with disabilities.

PFA Attends Better Together Conference – June 2024, Geelong

TasTAFE acquires e-learning module developed by WIO with PFA-Myer 2019 Major Grant

Congratulations to Jax Jacki Brown for their inclusion on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021

Join Us: What LGBTIQA+ people with disability are saying in 2021

Pride Foundation Australia at Better Together Conference 2020

Meet Working It Out: Our 2019 Major Grant Recipient

Congratulations to Working It Out: PFA-Myer Grant Recipient

An Award Winning LGBTIQ+ Disability Initiative

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