Aboriginal people who identify as LGBTIQ+ have their own unique experiences of culture, connection to Country, exploration of identity and community.
They also experience stigma and discrimination in multiple ways, and the impact of this can be profound.
This section has primarily been written in the voice of young Aboriginal LGBTIQ+ people involved in the development of this resource. Some insights have been summarised, and where possible the text has remained true to their voices.
Language
Often the way LGBTIQ+ populations are described and understood (including information in this resource) is based on a Western colonial understanding of gender, sex and sexuality.
Aboriginal LGBTIQ+ communities are diverse and have different terms and cultural understandings of gender and sexuality.
Terms are still very binary because that's the way that mob are limited in the way they are able to express themselves.
* Names changed for confidentiality.
Some of the terms below have multiple meanings and uses in various contexts. The definitions below are how they are used in LGBTIQSB+ spaces.
LGBTIQSB+ | Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, sistagirl, brothaboy. | |
|---|---|---|
QTIPOC | Queer, trans indigenous person of colour. | |
Sistagirl/sistergirl | Term used by Aboriginal people to describe a gender diverse person who identifies as having feminine spirit, aligns with a sense of womanhood and takes on female roles in the community. It can also be used in contexts to describe kin/known groups of Aboriginal women. | |
Brothaboy/brotherboy | Term used by Aboriginal people to describe a gender diverse person who identifies as having masculine spirit, aligns with a sense of manhood and takes on male roles in community. It can also be used in contexts to describe kin/known groups of Aboriginal men. | |
Two Spirit | A term from the First Nations people of Turtle Island (Canada and USA) that LGBTIQSB+ people also may use. Two Spirit describes unique sexual, gendered and/or spiritual identities that move beyond a female or male, masculine or feminine binary. | |
| Gee Dee | A gender diverse Aboriginal person who identifies outside Western gender binaries.1,2 | |
Uncle | Term of endearment to refer to a respected and influential person in the community who is a man or identifies with masculine spirit. | |
Aunty | Term of endearment to refer to a respected and influential person in the community who is a woman or identifies with feminine spirit. | |
When you've done enough work with the community, you're an Uncle and Aunty to everyone. You’ve earned that status and we’re all tribe, we’re all kin. It’s really important in queer Indig community to acknowledge Uncles and Aunties, it doesn’t just mean you’re an elder by age but by merit.
Experiences of LGBTIQSB+ young people
Aboriginal LGBTIQSB+ people come from different cultural backgrounds, classes and community contexts. This diversity is often unrecognised by Aboriginal communities or in non-Aboriginal LGBTIQ+ social contexts. Aboriginal LGBTIQSB+ people can face challenges, including:
- racism, discrimination and feelings of isolation in broader LGBTIQ+ spaces, which can be culturally ignorant and prioritise Western ideas of LGBTIQ+ identity
- difficulty keeping cultural connections and family support while also having their LGBTIQSB+ identity recognised
- isolation in their Aboriginal communities due to traditional gender roles that don’t fit with a person’s gender expression
- a gap in health and community services for their specific health needs – Aboriginal-run health services may not be affirming for LGBTIQSB+ people, while LGBTIQ+ community services may not be affirming for Aboriginal people.
LGBTIQSB+ experiences with health
The NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2034 outlines the complex relationship Aboriginal people have with NSW Health.3 It aims to address the impact of historical and current trauma, and racism that exists within the health system.
Many LGBTIQSB+ young people experience erasure if they decide not to disclose their cultural identity because they do not feel it will benefit their care. They, and their communities, may experience racism if they disclose their Aboriginal identity, putting their wellbeing at further risk.
They may feel tokenised - outwardly having their Aboriginality recognised by a health service to 'tick a box' of inclusivity rather than to genuinely address their needs.
LGBTIQSB+ young people may need to weigh up the impact of tokenism or erasure and the added sense of isolation, invalidation and mental health distress this can bring. If a young person decides not to disclose their Aboriginal identity, they are receiving only partial care for their experience as only part of their identity is considered. However, this may feel safer than experiencing racism and tokenism.
We're pushed into denying who we are because it's easier. Sometimes I don’t want to be outed as either Indig or trans because for both it can work in my favour in some ways and not in others. Indig and trans are very similar – it’s easier to stay silent, but that's like suppressing who we are as people, who we can be, our opportunities and our access and everything that's involved in our lives. The cost of identifying always comes somewhere. It’s hard in the moment trying to weigh up what is going to be the least detrimental to your mental health, which is already suffering.
Mental health
For Aboriginal people, mental health support is a holistic process addressing mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs, and involves connections to culture, family and Country.1
Holistic healing is a meaningful way to respond to the impact of harmful policies and practices, trauma and intergenerational trauma. This work is concerned with wellbeing at a community, family and individual level.2 For LGBTIQSB+ people, this holistic healing includes the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual healing for the mental health impacts of intergenerational stigma and discrimination in their LGBTIQ+ and Aboriginal experience of the world.
LGBTIQSB+ young people say there is often no benefit to being open about their identity in a mental health setting, as they experience:
- further isolation and feeling of being in the ‘too-hard basket’
- fear that their mental health experience will be attributed to LGBTIQSB+ identity
- tokenism and performativity, where recognition is surface-level but doesn't address their challenges.
More about Affirming practice for Aboriginal people
On the wall in a mental health foyer, they had a news article posted up saying: “This facility conducted a smoking ceremony for participants of mental health”. It had an elder performing the ceremony, yet it was so tokenistic and performative they never did it again. If they really understood what this means for us, they would put it on frequently just like they do the Sunday barbecues or holiday lunch.
Being indig complicates things with practitioners. It's like this alien thing that they're not educated about, it’s not their expertise and we hear: “I’m avoiding duty of care to understand you as a person. That part of your identity is not valid or relevant to what I can help you with, so I’m going to try palming you off to someone else.”
Resources
Working with Aboriginal people: Enhancing clinical practice in mental health care
Video for mental health professionals, with key themes and questions designed to facilitate individual learning or group discussion.
Source: NSW Health
NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020–2025
Supports and assists NSW Health services in delivering respectful and appropriate mental health services in partnership with Aboriginal services, people and communities.
Source: NSW Health
Yarnsafe
Mental health resources and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
Source: Headspace
Trans Mob
Information on Aboriginal and trans experience and support.
Source: TransHub
Map of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health/medical services
Finder for local health services around the country.
Source: Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet
References
- Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council. Who are we: Understanding LGBTQ2IA+ identities. Sydney, NSW: Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council; 2019 [cited Sept 2024].
- TransHub. Trans Mob. Sydney, NSW: ACON; 2021 [cited Sept 2024].
- NSW Ministry of Health. NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2034 St Leonards, NSW; 2024 [cited Sep 2024].