LGBTQIA+SB

Welcome to the HealthInfoNet LGBTQIA+SB health topic. This section provides information and resources on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual, as well as sistergirls and brotherboys.

It should be noted, terminology is used differently between communities and rainbow Mob are diverse. In some communities, sistergirls is a term to describe Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned male at birth but live as women and take on traditional feminine roles, and brotherboys can describe Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned female at birth but live as men and take on more traditionally masculine roles [50568][44684].

Sexuality, sex, and gender describe different aspects of identity and biology:

• Sexuality (or sexual orientation) refers to the gender(s) someone is sexually attracted to.
• Sex is a biological term which relates to an individual’s sex hormones and chromosomes and reproductive anatomy.
• Gender refers to an individual’s sense of whether they are a man, woman, non-binary, agender, genderqueer, genderfluid or a combination of one or more of these definitions [47536].

Someone can be gender diverse without having a diverse sexuality and vice versa. People can also be both gender and sexuality diverse.

People with innate variations of sex characteristics (i.e., intersex) were born with anatomical sex characteristics that do not fit binary definitions for female or male bodies [51582]. Intersex covers a diverse range of bodies, sex characteristics, genders, sexualities and identities. Some people who are intersex prefer not to be included in the LGBTQIA+SB community, while others consider themselves part of this community. For more information, see also: InterAction.

For a helpful glossary of terms, see: Training health providers to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people: Needs assessment report Vol 1 [47536].

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+SB people may bring different strengths, and have different challenges and care needs compared to cisgender and heterosexual people.

Information for this LGBTQIA+SB health topic includes guidelines for cultural models of care, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing resources, publications and programs.