History - LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

History of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia was born out of a growing need for a more holistic view of LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing. This need was first recognised at a series of national LGBTIQ+ health conferences, named Health in Difference (or HiD).

In 1996, the first HiD conference brought together community groups, individuals, policy-makers, health practitioners and academics. This group shared a small but growing awareness of the diversity of health concerns faced by LGBTIQ+ people. By 2007, at the seventh HiD conference, a national organisation with a broad focus on LGBTIQ+ health was recommended. 

Launching LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (Formerly The National LGBTI Health Alliance)

We launched at Australia’s Parliament House in August 2007. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia was originally founded as "The National LGBTI Health Alliance" by a group of community-based organisations with a HIV/AIDS focus. In 2020 based on consultation with members and staff, the Board confirmed the new name to reflect LGBTIQ+ This was to ensure our name represented the communities that we and our members work with. Our new name was launched at the beginning of 2021.

Our founding members have played key roles in LGBTIQ+ health in their respective states and across Australia. In particular, leading the community aspect of Australia’s successful response to HIV/AIDS. They saw the need for a national organisation that worked across LGBTIQ+ health issues, rather than focusing on HIV.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia today

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is now a not-for-profit public company, governed by a constitution and a Board of Governance.

Since July 2009 we have opened membership to other non-government organisations (NGOs), not-for-profit and corporate supporters, and individuals. 

Founding members

ACON Logo AIDS Council of South Australia (ACSA) Meridian Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)
logo.png Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC) Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC) Tasmanian Council on AIDS, Hepatitis & Related Diseases (TasCAHRD)
Thorne Harbour Health Logo Western Australia AIDS Council (WAAC)    

 


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ABOUT LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, (formerly the National LGBTI Health Alliance), is the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse (LGBTIQ+) people and communities. Dropping the “+” from our name only occurs within digital formats that do not allow mathematical symbols, such as within our domain name, handles and hashtags.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge and their continuing connections to land and community. We pay our respects to all Australian Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to Elders of past and present.