LGBTIQ+ Victorians

Proportion of population who identify as LGBTIQ+

In the 2017 Victorian Population Health Survey, 5.7 per cent of respondents identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, gender diverse or other (Victorian Agency for Health Information - unpublished), with the relative proportion of each subgroup summarised in Table 1:

Table 1: Proportion (%) of the adult population, by LGBTIQ+ status, Victoria, 2017

Health and wellbeing indicators for LGBTIQ+ Victorians

Data from the survey shows that LGBTIQ+ Victorian adults experience poorer health and wellbeing than heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ Victorians (Victorian Agency for Health Information - unpublished).

A summary of indicators for LGBTIQ+ Victorians shows that a significantly higher proportion of LGBTIQ+ adults:

• had low to medium life satisfaction and a feeling of life being worthwhile, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population
• had moderate, high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population
• were diagnosed with anxiety or depression, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population
• had an experience of family violence, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population
• had an experience of discrimination, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population.

In addition, a significantly lower proportion of LGBTIQ+ adults could get help from relatives or friends in an emergency, or from family and neighbours when required, compared with the heterosexual, non-LGBTIQ+ adult population.

Victorian Government initiatives

Since late 2014, the Victorian Government has invested more than $60 million in initiatives that make the community fairer and promote equality for LGBTIQ+ Victorians.

This includes $15 million towards Australia's first Pride Centre, $4 million in grants for LGBTIQ+ community organisations and $5.3 million to support LGBTIQ+ people experiencing, or at risk of, family violence.

Funding has been provided to statewide LGBTIQ+ support service Switchboard Victoria to pilot suicide prevention programs across the state. Victoria has also boosted LGBTIQ+ family counselling services.

Laws to prohibit LGBTIQ+ conversion practices will be enacted, ending the practice that has caused trauma to many Victorians.

Find out more

The State of Victoria’s children reports have more information on bullying experienced by young LGBTIQ+ Victorians and their mental health.

Access the Chief Health Officer page on PrEPX and HIV for information about pre-exposure prophylaxis and HIV.

References

Victorian Agency for Health Information - unpublished, The health and wellbeing of the lesiban, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer population in Victoria: a short summary, Victorian Agency for Health Information, Melbourne.