Aboriginal and Queer Identity/ies in Western Australia: When There is a Need to Know in Therapeutic Settings

Abstract

A central question for the exploratory Aboriginal and LGBTQ+ researcher led project 'Breaking the Silence: Being Indigenous and identifying LGBTQ+' (Breaking the Silence) is how provision of genuinely inclusive service responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identifying as LGBTQ+ can be developed. This article presents the qualitative findings of this mixed-methods research project to show how organizational staff working in health, education and social support services in Western Australia consider the Aboriginal LGBTQ+ identity/experience. Analysis of the written, interview and focus group responses to a question about the relevance of LGBTQ+ identity show that these questions need to be considered and evaluated within diverse service cultures and philosophies of services. Staff views are diverse and organizational consensus on the relevance (or not) of LGBTQ+ identity needs to be the precursor before the development or consideration of changes to service delivery and models.

Keywords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; Indigenous; access to < health care; bisexuals < sexuality; culture of < health care; distress; equality; gays and lesbians < sexuality; inequality < social issues; race; racism < social issues; sexual health; sexuality; stress; suicide.