LGBTIQA+ communities
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual, and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse (LGBTIQA+) people make up a significant part of Australian society, representing around 11% of the population.
It is important that the diversity of LGBTIQA+ people and communities be acknowledged within all content.
Present information about suicide in ways that may be helpful, including:
- Personal stories about LGBTIQA+ people who have overcome suicidal thinking to promote hope and encourage others to seek help.
- Information about risk factors and warning signs, the importance of taking suicidal thoughts seriously and how to seek help.
- Reporting the impact on individuals and communities to increase understanding about the experiences of people affected by suicide.
- Reporting the broader issue of suicide including policy, practice, research, rates, trends and other areas of public interest.
Inclusive language
Respectful and appropriate language can impact on health and wellbeing. The use of inclusive language helps to reduce stigma and discrimination.
Some key points to remember in relation to inclusive language include:
- Check people’s preferred names, gender identity and pronouns as well as those of their partner in a respectful way and confirm prior to running a story, news report or interview
- Only include details about a person’s body, behaviour or identity if it is relevant and avoid sensationalising these factors for the sake of perceived public curiosity.
New resource for media professionals
Mindframe: A guide for reporting on suicide and mental health concerns in LGBTIQA+ communities
This quick reference guide has been developed to support safe and sensitive public communication about suicide and mental health concerns in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse (LGBTIQA+) communities.
Everymind is undertaking a research project examining the use and usefulness of this quick reference guide. Follow the link below to take part in a short survey about what you thought of this resource today.
Help promote this new resource by posting these tiles on your social media channels.
Download by right-clicking and selecting 'Save image as'.
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Mindframe would like to acknowledge that statistics relating to suicide and mental illness in LGBTIQA+ communities are not routinely collected.
For further information, visit the Life in Mind website.