Growing Up Queer // Issues Facing Young Australians Who Are Gender Variant and Sexuality Diverse Professor Kerry H. Robinson Dr Peter Bansel Dr Nida Denson Dr Georgia Ovenden Cristyn Davies February 2014 Growing Up Queer Issues Facing Young Australians Who Are Gender Variant and Sexuality Diverse Professor Kerry H. Robinson Dr Peter Bansel University of Western Sydney University of Western Sydney Dr Nida Denson Dr Georgia Ovenden University of Western Sydney University of Western Sydney Cristyn Davies Research Consultant ISBN: 978-0-9871179-8-4 Suggested citation: Robinson, KH, Bansel, P, Denson, N, Ovenden, G & Davies, C 2013, Growing Up Queer: Issues Facing Young Australians Who Are Gender Variant and Sexuality Diverse, Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne. © Young and Well CRC 2014 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Young and Well CRC. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Young and Well CRC, 17 / 71 Victoria Crescent, Abbotsford VIC 3067, Australia. Copies of this guide can be downloaded from the Young and Well CRC website: youngandwellcrc.org.au ii // Growing Up Queer Acknowledgements The University of Western Sydney research team – Professor Kerry Robinson, Dr Peter Bansel and Dr Nida Denson with Dr Georgia Ovenden – are highly appreciative of the enthusiasm, time and energy that was given to this project by the young people who participated at various points throughout its duration. We hope this report and the resources that accompany it make a positive contribution to increasing awareness and understanding of the issues faced by many gender variant and sexuality diverse young people. We would like to thank Young and Well CRC for funding this pilot study, and Twenty10 incorporating Gay and Lesbian Counseling Service NSW (GLCS NSW) for their partnership and continued support of the project. Our thanks also go to Cristyn Davies for her key involvement and expertise as a researcher, performance advisor, scriptwriter and contributor to this report; and Elena Knox for her central skills as a filmmaker and mobile technology advisor. Finally, we would like to thank Bettina Roesler, Emma Keltie, Dr. Lesley Wright and Emma Eldridge for their help with various aspects of bringing this report together. Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre University of Western Sydney The Young and Well CRC is an Australia-based, The University of Western Sydney (UWS) is a international research centre that unites young modern research-led metropolitan university people with researchers, practitioners, innovators established in the late 1980s. UWS nurtures a and policy-makers from over 75 partner distinctive, high-impact research culture, organisations. Together, we explore the role of committed to enhancing our region's cultural, technology in young people’s lives, and how it can economic, environmental and educational be used to improve the mental health and development, and is responsive to contemporary wellbeing of those aged 12 to 25. The Young and challenges in Greater Western Sydney and Well CRC is established under the Australian beyond. Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. youngandwellcrc.org.au uws.edu.au iii // Growing Up Queer Table of Contents GROWING UP QUEER ISSUES FACING YOUNG AUSTRALIANS WHO ARE GENDER VARIANT AND SEXUALITY DIVERSE ............................................................................................................................................. II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................................................... III MAIN MESSAGES ................................................................................................................................................... V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ VII KEY ISSUES ARISING FROM THIS RESEARCH ............................................................................................... VIII Coming Out: Families ............................................................................................................................................. viii Coming Out: Community ........................................................................................................................................ viii Coming Out: School ................................................................................................................................................ viii Sex Education ........................................................................................................................................................... ix Health and Wellbeing ................................................................................................................................................ ix Homophobia and Transphobia in the Workplace ...................................................................................................... x Technology ............................................................................................................................................................... x Access to, and Experiences of, Support Services .................................................................................................... x GROWING UP QUEER: GENDER VARIANCE AND SEXUALITY DIVERSITY ................................................... 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 Ethics Approval and Considerations ....................................................................................................................... 13 Phase 1: Survey Design and Recruitment .............................................................................................................. 13 Phase 2: Workshop Recruitment and Design ......................................................................................................... 13 Phase 3: Development of Education Resources .................................................................................................... 14 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 KEY FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 IDENTITY ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 Identification ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Representations and Stereotypes .......................................................................................................................... 18 Coming Out / Being Outed ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Religion ................................................................................................................................................................... 21 HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA .................................................................................................................. 23 GRAPH A: Thought about Self-harm ...................................................................................................................... 23 GRAPH B: Harmed Yourself ................................................................................................................................... 24 GRAPH C: Thought About Suicide ......................................................................................................................... 24 GRAPH D: Attempted Suicide ................................................................................................................................ 24 Homophobia and Transphobia in the Workplace .................................................................................................... 25 Homophobia and Transphobia in Schooling ........................................................................................................... 25 The Failure of Schools to Intervene in Homophobia and Transphobia ................................................................... 28 SEXUALITY EDUCATION ..................................................................................................................................... 29 The Internet and Queer Media as a Source of Sexuality Education ....................................................................... 29 Sexuality Education in Schools ............................................................................................................................... 29 TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH AND WELLBEING .....................................................................................................