Both overt and covert discrimination in the medical setting, and on a broader level, in wider society, has lead to a lower quality of health care within the LGBTQIA+ community. Thus, members of this community experience disproportionately worse health outcomes.

Such exclusion of members of the LGBTQIA+ community manifests in a plethora ways, including higher rates of psychiatric and eating disorders, lower probability of having healthcare insurance, and being more likely to suffer from certain conditions and diseases (such as obesity and cervical cancer). 

Factors contributing to these worse health outcomes include:

• Institutionalised stigma and discrimination in all paradigms of society
• Lack of research surrounding LGBTQIA+ health
• Lack of education for health care providers surrounding appropriate and accepting ways to behave
• Denial of LGBTQIA+ people's inalienable rights
• Lack of health insurance (for instance, many workplaces do not provide equal insurance for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and do not always cover the care required (e.g. HIV/AIDS is classified as a pre-existing condition, meaning that it is not always covered in insurance plans)
• Lack of social acceptance of members of the LGBTQIA+ community deters them from seeking help
• Health care professionals refusing to treat LGBTQIA+ individuals because of their sexual orientation
• Public health campaigns being exclusive towards the LGBTQIA+ community (such as by using exclusive pronouns)
• Past experiences of discrimination in health settings detering people from returning to such places

Thus, we have proposed a few solutions directed towards the Australian Government in an attempt to counteract these widespread and long-term harms:

• Increasing penalties for workplace discrimination (currently the maximum fine for unlawful discrimination is merely $66,600 for a corporation and, particularly for larger companies, this is quite insignificant)
• Increasing awareness for (which subsequently increases accessibility) procedures to take in the event of workplace discrimination, so employers are more likely to be prosecuted for this and are consequently detered from acting in a discriminatory way

• Developing a no tolerance policy for discrimination in healthcare settings (including medical professionals speaking or acting in a discriminatory manner - such as by providing a lower quality of care for LGBTQIA+ patients or ignoring patients' preferred pronouns). Potential increased penalties for such behaviour includes the removal of the medical license of those involved and increased fines.  

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  Investing money into researching conditions or illnesses which are particularly prevalent amongst the LGBTQIA+ community (proven by statistics and studies), including HIV/AIDS and certain cancers.

• ​Reform the curriculum (including ensuring sex education considers all types of relationships, and teaching about LGBTQIA+ topics (such as the history of gaining rights)).

• Investing more government money into mental health resources, including mental health services.

We urge you to sign and share this petition. Thank you.