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

Amie O'Shea, J. R. Latham, Ruth McNair, Nathan Despott, Mellem Rose, Ruby Mountford and Patsie Frawley
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Amie O'Shea: School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong 3217, Australia
J. R. Latham: Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Burwood 3125, Australia
Ruth McNair: Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
Nathan Despott: Inclusion Melbourne, Armadale 3143, Australia
Mellem Rose: School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong 3217, Australia
Ruby Mountford: School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong 3217, Australia
Patsie Frawley: Te Kura Toi Tangata School of Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Healthcare and disability support services are increasing their efforts towards inclusion and recognising the needs of different groups. This research project was conducted by academic and peer researchers (LGBTIQA+ people with disability) in Victoria, Australia using four focus groups with LGBTIQA+ people with disability. We report on two overarching themes relating to participants’ experiences of accessing health services as LGBTIQA+ people with disability: difficulties in managing multiple identities and the impacts of community services and supports. Participants described having to repeatedly ‘come out’ in a range of ways and contexts as complex and layered processes in which it was difficult to present their full range of needs and experiences to services. We also found that the role of community in promoting a sense of belonging and resilience increased capacity to manage health service use and advocacy. Services and communities aiming to be inclusive to all have the opportunity to recognise and respond to the issues faced by LGBTIQA+ people with disability as a way to pay attention to how overt and subtle practices of discrimination continue to operate despite repeated attempts at or claims of being ‘inclusive.’ Our research suggests actual inclusive, accessible services can be achieved in part through policy and practice that actively responds to the specific needs of LGBTIQA+ people with disability, in addition to LGBTIQA+ education for disability services and disability and accessibility education for LGBTIQA+ focused services. As we do in this article, we argue that this work must be done by prioritising authentic participation of LGBTIQA+ people with disability in the services and research that is about them.

Keywords: disability; sexuality; gender; LGBTIQA+; identity; service provision; LGBT+ health equity; health inequalities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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