The Melbourne Clinic celebrates International Transgender Day of Visibility
31 March 2021
On International Transgender Day of Visibility (31 March), Australia’s largest private mental health facility has highlighted the importance of understanding and empathy for members of the trans community.
The Melbourne Clinic General Manager Gaylyn Cairns said transgender people featured disproportionately in Australia’s mental health caseload, due to a lived experience of discrimination, prejudice and stigma, with many suffering from a lack of social acceptance, understanding and isolation – issues exacerbated by the effects of Covid lockdowns over the past year.
“Covid isolation affected many in our society, but when you’re part of an alreadymarginalised community, it had a significant multiplier effect,” Ms Cairns said.
“We know that, compared to the general population, transgender people are far more likely to attempt suicide, suffer anxiety, depression, or engage in self-harm.
“Events such as International Transgender Day of Visibility are opportunities for Australians to educate themselves on the discrimination faced by many transgender people, and to celebrate their contribution to society.”
In 2017, The Melbourne Clinic became the first private mental health facility to become accredited with the Rainbow Tick, underscoring its commitment to providing a safe and inclusive environment for people who identify with LGBTIQA+ community to seek mental health support and treatment.
“Securing the Rainbow Tick was a transformative achievement for our clinic,” Ms Cairns said.
“Since then, we’ve seen a far greater willingness for people from the LGBTIQA+ communities to come to us for treatment.
“We get lovely feedback that people feel safe and respected at our facility. Even small things, such as asking a person which pronoun they prefer, can make a big difference to their sense of acceptance.”
As well as patients, the Rainbow Tick has also seen diversity levels among staff and clinicians increase.
“We are increasingly seeing staff, nurses and doctors from the LGBTIQA+ community and their allies looking to work with us, continuing to add to the understanding and professional capability of The Melbourne Clinic.”
Transgender mental health impacts*:
- Transgender people aged 18 and over are nearly eleven times more likely to attempt suicide in their lifetime compared to those in the general population
- 48.1% of transgender and gender diverse people aged 14 to 25 have attempted suicide in their lifetime
- Tansgender people are six and a half times more likely to engage in self-injury
- 39.9% of transgender and gender diverse people aged 18 and over have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder
- 57.2% of transgender and gender diverse people aged 18 and over have been diagnosed with depression in the lifetime
*Source: National LGBTI Health Alliance