Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 7
Australia hosts significant events
like IDAHOBIT, Coming Out Day,
Wear It Purple Day, and local
pride celebrations like the Sydney
Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras,
celebrating the diversity and
resilience of the LGBTQIA+
community. These events honour
the contributions of LGBTQIA+
individuals and highlight ongoing
challenges, particularly in mental
health and workplace inclusion.
Who Makes Up the
LGBTQIA+
Community?
According to the Australian
Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2022),
around 4.5% of Australians aged
16 and over identify as
LGBTQIA+, which includes people
who identify as gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender, queer,
intersex, asexual, or other diverse
sexual and gender identities. This
equates to more than 900,000
Australians, a figure that has
grown steadily as more individuals
feel safe to express their
identities. The growth in visibility
underscores the importance of
fostering inclusive environments
that support mental health and
wellbeing.
Yet visibility doesn’t always equate
to acceptance. While progress has
been made in areas such as
marriage equality and antidiscrimination legislation, many
LGBTQIA+ Australians continue to
face social stigma, discrimination,
and systemic barriers—factors that
deeply affect mental health.
Mental Health in
the LGBTQIA+
Community
LGBTQIA+ individuals often
encounter unique stressors,
including discrimination, stigma,
and social exclusion, contributing
to higher rates of mental health
issues. According to the Australian
Bureau of Statistics, LGBTQIA+
Australians are more likely to
experience mental health
conditions compared to the
general population.
43.2% of LGBTQIA+ adults
are diagnosed with a mental
health condition, compared
with 21.5% of heterosexual
adults.
1 in 2 LGBTQIA+ Australians
aged 16–24 report high or
very high psychological
distress.
Trans and gender-diverse
individuals report particularly
high rates of anxiety and
depression.
Most commonly, these disparities
can be attributed to ongoing
experiences of marginalisation,
bullying, discrimination, and family
rejection.
