Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The new strategy affirms the ACT Government’s commitment to positive change for LGBTIQA+ individuals, their families and their communities.
Key actions to improve health, wellbeing and equality for LGBTIQA+ Canberrans will be implemented as part of the Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29, released today.
The new strategy affirms the ACT Government’s commitment to positive change and improved wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ individuals, their families and their communities.
The strategy acknowledges persistent challenges for the LGBTIQA+ community.
Key actions
The Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29 will be implemented through action plans. Some of the key actions announced with the strategy include:
- continued support for the Capital of Equality Grants Program, recognising its positive outcomes for LGBTIQA+ communities and the continuing demand for these funds
- working together with LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to scope their needs and design the solutions
- actions to improve health outcomes, including mental health, gender-affirming care, fertility access and abortion access
- implementing a range of policy forms for LGBTIQA+ equality, such as improving LGBTIQA+ related data collection in housing policies and continuing the work on protections for people born with variations in sex characteristics from deferrable medical interventions
- building an information hub for LGBTIQA+ communities to know where to seek support
- continuing support for LGBTIQA+ work and events, recognising their vital role in creating community connections and spaces of belonging.
As Canberra’s population grows, the new strategy marks an important step in ensuring the city remains one of the world’s most welcoming and inclusive.
A changed acronym
The ACT Government now adopts the LGBTIQA+ acronym.
The addition of ‘A’ explicitly acknowledges and affirms the identities of asexual, aromantic and agender individuals within the broader LGBTIQA+ community.
This modest but important change gives the asexual, aromantic and agender communities confidence that they are welcome and wanted.
“The biggest barrier in coming out as asexual is education. The more awareness there is of asexuality, the easier it will be for people to be open with their identities. Recognition is incredibly important in this regard,” Canberran Phil said.
More information
More information on the Capital of Equality Strategy for 2024–29 and the First Action Plan is available at The Office of LGBTIQ Affairs webpage .
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