“Success means we do well at LGBTIQ+-friendly… everything”
Our vision is for Canberra to be the most LGBTIQ+ welcoming and inclusive city in Australia – a city where we are all visible, valued and respected. The Capital of Equality: an ACT Government strategy to deliver equitable outcomes for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex & Queer (LGBTIQ+) people 2019-2023 supports the realisation of LGBTIQ+ equality as part of our broader commitment to social inclusion and equality.
LGBTIQ+ is an umbrella term respectfully used to refer to the diversity of individuals that are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and/or queer. It is also intended to capture diverse sexualities and gender identities, including (but not limited to) people who are agender, non-binary, gender fluid, asexual and pansexual, as well as individuals who prefer to use specialised personal terms to describe their own sex, gender or sexuality.
The ACT Government is working to improve the consistency of sex, gender and sexuality data collection, discoverability, sharing and use. This is an action in the Second Action Plan 2020-22 under the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-26. As our data practices mature, we will work towards including wellbeing data on Canberrans with diverse sexuality, sex and gender to support a better understanding of the barriers they face and have the right support in place.
Many Canberrans belong to multiple groups, such as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse, or people with disability. These intersecting experiences can have a significant impact on wellbeing, and may mean more resources, time, understanding and support is needed to help individuals meet their daily needs, access services, or feel safe in the community.
The First Action Plan 2019 & 2020 under the Capital of Equality Strategy focuses on ensuring LGBTIQ+ people, families and communities are visible, valued and respected through:
- continuing reforms to have equal rights reflected in law, data and policies;
- fostering understanding and awareness so that barriers to equality can be removed; and
- undertaking service improvements to deliver more inclusive and accessible services.
