2012 Health and Wellbeing Forum Day

OUTintheOPEN, Shepparton’s newest Festival celebrating community diversity, is hosting a rural GLBTIQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer) health and wellbeing forum in Shepparton.  Designed to bring together members of the community, service providers, health practitioners, primary health care providers and others who have an interest in GLBTIQ health and wellbeing, the forum aims to provide professional development opportunities and allow for the sharing of networks, information and ideas culminating in a showcase of current activities and initiatives in rural and regional Victoria.  A particular focus of the Forum will be “inclusive practice” – how best to cater to the needs of those who are SSASGD (same sex attracted and sex and gender diverse).

SSASGD people in rural areas have different needs to those in metropolitan areas facing higher levels of discrimination from homophobic attitudes, isolation, limited clinical health services and limited support systems.  SSASGD people are not only those who identify as GLBTIQ, they include a much broader cross-section of the community that can sometimes remain ‘invisible’ if we’re not committed to “inclusive practice”.  Researchers and workers practicing in the sector will present key information in identified areas of concern for the GLBTIQ communities & SSASGD people living in country Victoria including:

• Youth
• Sexual Health
• Community Safety
• Inclusive Practice
• Legal recognition/responsibilities
• Mental Health
• Same sex parented families
• Homophobia, biphobia & transphobia
• Disability
• Ageing
• More…

Full Program available here.

Keynote speakers

Rodney Croome

Rodney Croome will be known to many Australians as a spokesperson for the
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. In that capacity he fronted the long,
bitter and ultimately successful campaign to decriminalise homosexuality in
Tasmania. As a researcher and legal advisor, Rodney has played a pivotal role in
several ground-breaking Tasmanian anti-discrimination cases on issues such as
transgender vilification and gay blood donation. Rodney grew up on a diary farm on
Tasmania’s North West Coast. www.rodneycroome.id.au

Daniel Witthaus

Daniel Witthaus is a challenging homophobia educator, author and education
activist, born and raised in the Bronx of Geelong. Gay rights advocate, Daniel, is
an extraordinary man with an extraordinary mission to eliminate homophobia in
Australia. This passionate Victorian embarked on an incredible 38 week journey in
2010, all around rural Australia, taking his anti-homophobia training, called Beyond
That’s So Gay’, to schools, organizations and individuals. www.thatssogay.com.au

Shelley Argent – Emcee

Shelley Argent is the National Spokesperson for Parents and Friends of Lesbians
and Gays (PFLAG) in Australia and is one of the most successful and effective
educationalists, advocates and lobbyists for the human rights of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people.
http://www.pflagbrisbane.org.au/resources-multimedia/video

Presenters

Concurrent sessions will run throughout the day:

Dr Jennifer Power and Henry von Doussa (The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University)
Presentation of Guidelines for Mainstream Service providers working with Same-Sex Parented Families

Dr. David Lee (Melbourne Sexual Health Centre)
Working together in diversity – latest update on GLBTIQ health research

Sally Conning & Greer MacGee (Seahorse Victoria), Sally Goldner (Transgender Victoria) & Sim Kennedy (Y-Gender)
Issues affecting sex and gender diverse clients

Jacob Thomas (Monash University)
It Gets Better: Helping youth find comfort in their identity

Brad Whitton (Wulumperi Unit, Melbourne Sexual Health Centre) & Peter Waples-Crowe (VACCHO)
Engaging sexuality/sex/gender diverse Aboriginal clients (including showing Sexual Diversity in Victoria’s Aboriginal Community DVD produced by VACCHO and Mind the Gap (FPV) www.diverseanddeadly.com.au)

Damien Stevens (UnitingCare Cutting Edge), Lachlan Slade (Cobaw Community Health) & Lorenne Ramanauskas (Zaque)
Importance of inclusive practice for young people who are same sex attracted and sex and gender diverse – providing supportive environments

Anneke Deutsch (Matrix Guild Victoria Inc.)
Lesbian inclusive aged care

Budi Sudarto & Vic Perri (Living Positive Victoria)
Peer groups for gay and bisexual men

Greg Adkins (Anti Violence Project)
“Violence in rural areas & its impact on our health plus creative ways to challenged and address violence and support those it touches”

Rodney Croome & Shelley Argent (Australian Marrage Equality & PFLAG Brisbane)
“What can ‘I’ do for marriage equality?”

Bernie Fraser (WHGNE) & Kate Downey (O&KCH)
Inclusive practices to engage with, support & promote GLBTI young people’s health/wellbeing

Ashley Chapman (NPH)
Journey to Inclusive Practice