Q. Why does the LGBTQIS community need their own aged care facility?
A: Secure, stable and affordable housing is a necessary component for healthy ageing. For ageing LGBTQISB people access to this type of aged care is not available. Many older LGBTQISB people hide their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity on a daily basis because they continue to fear discrimination. Many LGBTQISB adults experience fear, intimidation and harassment in aged care facilities, which makes their living environment physically and emotionally unhealthy.
Q: What does LGBTQISB stand for?
A: Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Intersexed, Sister Girl, Brother Boy
Lesbian – a woman whose emotional, romantic, and sexual energies are geared towards other women, female same-sex attraction.
Gay – a homosexual male or female
Bisexual – a person with significant attraction and desire for both sexes, both sexually and romantically. (The desire for the two sexes is not necessarily equal.) Being bi does NOT imply confusion, wanting/having more than one partner, or participation in wild sex orgies.
Transgender – a transgender person is someone who identifies with a gender that is different to that with which they were assumed to be at birth. Transgender people identify as male, female or non-binary gender. Many transgender people undergo medical transition and many do not. All people should be respected as the gender they present.
It is fairly reliably understood that approximately 3% of a population with be transgender/gender diverse. Being transgender is not a sexual orientation, rather an orientation of one’s authentic sense of self. Transgender people have the same range of sexual orientations as non-transgender people.
Queer – originally pejorative for gay, now being reclaimed by some gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons as a self-affirming umbrella term. Caution: still extremely offensive when used as an epithet.
Intersex – is a term that relates to a range of congenital physical traits or variations that lie between stereotypical ideals of male and female. Intersex people are born with physical, hormonal or genetic features that are neither wholly female nor wholly male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male.
Many forms of intersex exist; it is a spectrum or umbrella term, rather than a single category. Some common intersex variations are diagnosed prenatally. Intersex differences may be apparent at birth. Some intersex traits become apparent at puberty, or when trying to conceive, or through random chance.
The lowest popular statistic is around 1 in 2,000 people (.05% of births) but a more likely figure may be closer to 1.7%. This makes intersex differences about as common as red hair. Intersex is not a sexual orientation, nor is it a gender identity. Intersex is a lived experience of the physical body.
Sistergirl, Brotherboy
See video below for the descriptions for these last two…
Q. What if people want to receive care in their home?
A. The Sanctuary of Embracing Difference Care will provide services to people in their homes. Elderly LGBTQIS people often want to stay in their homes because they can live as themselves. They are also wary of being judged. The Sanctuary has access to cleaners, nurses and other aged care professionals who provide in-home services.
Q: Is the LGBTQISB communities covered aged care legislation?
People who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Intersex, Queer, Sister Girl and Brother Boy(LGBTQISB) are considered a special needs group within aged care legislation. This is based on previous experiences of discrimination and limited recognition of their needs by service providers.
Q: I am not an Aboriginal or LBGTQISB, can I receive care at The Sanctuary of Embracing Difference Care?
A: Absolutely. Everyone is welcome at The Sanctuary. Our mission is provided holistic care for everyone but to also provide a place that embraces everyone’s difference, whether they are gay, straight, and Aboriginal, from another culture or born in Australia.
Q. What type of training will the care staff receive?
A. Aside from the Certificate III in Aged Care and trained nurses, all staff employed by The Sanctuary of Embracing Difference will receive our specially designed training program to ensure the level of care – for all our residents – is of the highest quality. All staff will be psychometrically assessed prior to commencing with us to ensure our staff come to us without judgement and preconceived ideas about race and sex. It is vital The Sanctuary is a place of safety, open mindedness and love.