Pain and isolation ignored

THERE is a mental health crisis in the LGBTIQ community, which the Tasmanian government knows about but is ignoring.

The COVID- 19 lockdown had a significant impact on mental health, especially for people, including LGBTIQ folks, already experiencing isolation, exclusion and stigma. Unsurprisingly, demand for the services of our local LGBTIQ support groups went through the roof.

There was a 75 per cent increase in demand for oneone- one support and a 123 per cent rise in demand for group support.

Since the lockdown demand has decreased slightly, but is still almost 50 per cent higher than this time last year.

All that is required is $ 60,000 to ensure this demand is met.

Yet, in the state budget handed down November 12 not one extra cent was made available for LGBTIQ community mental health.

This was despite Treasury being aware of the problem.

It was despite the Premier’s own advisory panel, PESRAC, identifying LGBTIQ people as a minority at risk of isolation and exclusion, and noting the need for extra support.

It was despite millions being made available for community support and mental health initiatives, some of which went to faithbased services to which LGBTIQ people are unlikely to turn.

I acknowledge there are members of the government like Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff who have the best interests of the LGBTIQ community at heart.

However, the 2020 budget sends the message to LGBTIQ Tasmanians that their lives matter less than other people.

As if to rub salt into that wound, the latest survey of the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bi, trans and intersex Australians, Private Lives 3, was released in the same week as the state budget.

It contained some deeply troubling results — almost 60 per cent of 6835 respondents reported discrimination in the past 12 months, 35 per cent reported verbal abuse and 24 per cent had been physically harassed.

Substantial mental health concerns were highlighted, including 61 per cent of respondents saying they had been diagnosed with depression and 42 per cent saying they had considered suicide in the past 12 months.

An overwhelming 75 per cent said they would much prefer to access services accredited as LGBTIQ inclusive rather than general services, suggesting a clear need for support being directed to LGBTIQ inclusive services.

Among trans and gender diverse people, and among LGBTIQ people in regional areas, all those figures were significantly higher.

The one ray of light was that legal equality makes a real difference to the lives of LGBTIQ folks, with three quarters of respondents saying they believe the choice to marry has had a positive impact on their lives.

The take- home messages from this research are clear:

THERE is a mental health crisis in the state’s LGBTIQ community that can only be addressed if there is more funding for LGBTIQ- inclusive services.

IF the government continues to ignore this crisis it will only grow, and the costs will escalate, as more LGBTIQ people turn up at hospitals and clinics, and as more families and communities lose their LGBTIQ members through mental illness and suicide.

THE government will make this crisis worse, and deepen harm to LGBTIQ people, if it proceeds down the path of rolling back landmark discrimination and gender laws.

In his budget speech Premier Peter Gutwein spoke repeatedly about ensuring support and inclusion for all Tasmanians. It’s time for the government to ensure these values apply to everyone, including LGBTIQ people.

Dr Angela Dwyer is a researcher at the University of Tasmania and secretary of Equality Tasmania.