1. Making our community legal centres and safe and inclusive for LGBTIQ clients
Sam Elkin
LGBTIQ Legal Outreach Service
St Kilda Legal Service
(in partnership with Thorne Harbour Health)

2. The LGBTIQ Legal Service is a new health justice partnership between
St Kilda Legal Service and Thorne Harbour Health

3. How to engage with LGBTIQ+ clients?

4. Why?

5. Systemic Disadvantage Internalised Homophobia
Incremental Trauma
Internalised Homophobia
Minority Stress
all of which can result in poor mental health and an increase in unsafe drug/alcohol use
= fines, infringements, debt, mental health admissions, experience of discrimination, Centrelink problems, eviction proceedings, family violence issues, VOCAT applications, Police Complaints, NDIS appeals…

6. Some added difficulties…
Courts are still incredibly gendered spaces
Transgender and gender diverse clients may have additional medical costs
LGBTIQ people may find it more difficult to access a culturally appropriate clinical psychologist or psychiatrist to write a court report for them
ID issues will often mean that TGD people’s ID can be a mix between their former name and current name
Lack of LGBTIQ men’s behaviour change programs
LGBTIQ ageing populations and the aged care sector

7. What does a ‘safe and inclusive’ interaction with an LGBTIQ person actually look/sound like?

8. Try not to make assumptions…

9. Be respectful - Don’t use words like “dyke” or “fag”
Don’t ever use “gay” to refer to negative situations or phenomenon.
If you make a mistake, just apologise and move on (i.e. don’t make it about you!). Try not to keep making the mistake. Don’t say “Oh I am just old school” and leave it at that.
Don’t ask about people’s body parts/medical history unless you are in the tiny minority of people who might actually need to know.

10. Train your staff and volunteers regularly

11. Update your
forms

12. What best describes your gender identity?
Male
Female
Non-binary/gender diverse
Different identity (please state) ________
Were you born with a variation of your sex characteristics?
(sometimes known as intersex)
Yes No
Not sure
Prefer not to say
What sex were you assigned at birth?
i.e. the legal sex on your original birth certificate
Male
Female
Different classification (please state) _____
Prefer not to answer

13. What your CLC can do Keep your networks/referral pathways up to date
Make sure your service is accessible (including gender neutral bathrooms)
Celebrate events like IDAHOBIT day (May 17) and International Transgender Day of Remembrance at your workplace (Nov 20)
When you have events, invite LGBTIQ speakers (and pay them for their time!)
Remember that LGBTIQ people are also a part of all CALD communities, ATSI communities and also experience disabilities.
Make sure your workplaces policies are up to date (gender neutral language in EBA’s, consider transition leave clauses, consider how you can make your workplace a place where all staff feel safe to bring their whole self to work)