• Charles Sturt academics complete the Regional Rainbow Survey with hundreds of participants from across the country
• Results indicate that members of rural and regional LBGTQ+ communities felt unsupported and forced to hide their identity
• The findings were presented at the Queer Contexts Conference in Melbourne

Research that revealed LGBTQ+ people in rural and regional communities feel they must conceal their identity has prompted a Charles Sturt University academic to ask why we are still having the same conversations around LGBTQ+ rights and experiences.

The Regional Rainbow Survey was conducted by Associate Professor in Marketing in the Charles Sturt School of Business in Bathurst Dr Clifford Lewis and Professor Suzanne McLaren in the Charles Sturt School of Psychology in Port Macquarie. Dr Lewis is also the Chair of Charles Sturt’s Ally Network.

Dr Lewis said there is not much data on rural LGBTQ+ people in Australia and the survey was a way to compile enough data to start making meaningful changes.

The intention is to compile enough data, over time, to present compelling arguments for change to protect the health, wellbeing and identity of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The survey was conducted in partnership with the AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) and surveyed members of the LGBTQ+ community from across the country.

Dr Lewis said the results were disheartening but not unexpected, with one third of those with diverse sexual orientation and half of trans and gender-diverse people having to hide their orientation to a significant degree.

The survey showed that LGBTQ+ members living in rural or regional areas had worse mental health and life satisfaction than those living in metropolitan areas.

“Rural people are calling for greater attention,” Dr Lewis said.

“While factors like discrimination and belonging had an impact on psychological wellbeing for both metro and rural/regional LGBTQ+ people, for those in rural/regional communities age, education and income also played a role – with younger people and those with a lower education and income having poorer psychological wellbeing.

“If you can’t really be yourself, you’re constantly being vigilant.”

Dr Lewis said rural and regional participants indicated they feel isolated with not much support or services for LGBTQ+ people in their area.

The top five changes for rural/regional communities, identified by those who participated in the survey, include:

• More LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing services, including health care professionals to be trained to provide support to LGBTQ+ people
• Greater consideration of hidden LGBTQ+ groups, including those coming out later in life, people of colour and those with disabilities.
• More diversity in the type and format of LGBTQ+ events in rural/regional communities
• A stronger consideration for how LGBTQ+ initiatives in rural/regional communities can be sustained over time
• Greater cohesion with LGBTQ+ communities

The researchers will be repeating the survey to see what the changes are over time.

“We are hoping to see that, one day, identifying as LGBTQ+ is not politicised and a means for segregation,” Dr Lewis said.

Dr Lewis said Charles Sturt is dedicated to ensuring higher education is an accessible experience for those in the LGBTIQA+ community.

The Hon. Michael Kirby AO Empowering Scholarship has been established to assist students facing challenges, including a lack of belonging and poor mental health, to achieve their educational milestones.

Those who wish to contribute to The Hon. Michael Kirby AO Empowering Scholarship can give via the Charles Sturt website now.