Across the Margins: Sexual health of LGBTQA+ people with disability

Our aims

The study aims to:

1. Identify the unmet sexual health care needs of LGBTQA+ people with disability.
2. Develop a model of sexual health care.
3. Implement and evaluate the model of sexual health care.

Research design

This is a mixed-method study.

We will use surveys, interviews, and arts-based activities to explore the sexual health care needs of LGBTQA+ people with disability.

We will co-create a model of sexual health care.

Research timeline

The Across the Margins study brings together national and international stakeholders in LGBTQA+ sexual health and disability.

The study is based at the Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University.

The study is guided by an advisory group of investigators, partner organisations, and community stakeholders.

Partner Organisations

The study is working in partnership with:

• ASHM (opens in a new window)
• Family Planning Australia (opens in a new window)
• Participate Australia (opens in a new window)
• Women with Disabilities Victoria (opens in a new window)

Our Team

Western Sydney University Investigators

	Doctor Rosalie Power (opens in a new window) Rosalie Power is an early career researcher with extensive experience in marginalised population health, specialising in sexual health, disability and LGBTQA+ health and using arts-based, mixed-methods, and co-creation approaches.
	Professor Jane Ussher (opens in a new window) Jane Ussher is Professor of Women's Health Psychology. Her research focuses on examining gendered factors underlying mental health problems, subjectivity in relation to the reproductive body and sexuality, and the gendered experience of cancer and cancer care.
	Professor Janette Perz (opens in a new window) Janette Perz is the THRI Director and Professor of Health Psychology. She researches in the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) with a particular focus on gendered experiences, subjectivity, and identity. She has demonstrated expertise in research design and analysis, and mixed-methods research.
	Professor Nathan Wilson - School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University (opens in a new window) Nathan Wilson’s research interests are in applied research that enhances the health, wellbeing, and social participation of people with long-term disabilities, in particular people with intellectual and developmental disability. He has expertise on the intersection of intellectual disability, social inclusion, the nursing workforce, men’s health, and sexual health.
	Doctor Alex Hawkey – THRI, Western Sydney University (opens in a new window) Alex Hawkey is a Research Fellow who works at the intersection of critical public health and cultural enquiry to explore inequities in sexual and reproductive health experienced by marginalised groups of women. Utilising qualitative and arts-based methods her areas of research specialisation are fertility and contraception, sexuality, sexual violence, and menstruation.
	Doctor George Turner – School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University (opens in a new window) George Turner is a licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist (USA) is a recognized disability and sexual wellness leader, focusing on understanding the value of emotional and physical intimacy in the lives of persons served, especially those disadvantaged and marginalized.

Additional investigators and community stakeholders

	Professor Nadia Badawi - Cerebral Palsy Alliance, University of Sydney (opens in a new window) Nadia Badawi is a Neonatologist, Medical Director and Co-Head of the Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care and Chair of Cerebral Palsy Research. She leads a large team of researchers on prevention of cerebral palsy, best treatments, assistive technology, regenerative therapies, and advocacy.
	Professor Deborah Bateson – Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney (opens in a new window) Deborah Bateson is a Professor of Practice at The Daffodil Centre, the University of Sydney. She has worked in sexual and reproductive health as a clinician, researcher, educator, and advocate for over 20 years with a focus on translation of research into clinical practice and policy to support equitable access to information and services including for the LGBTQI community.
	Dr Clare Boerma – Family Planning Australia Clare Boerma is a General Practitioner and the Medical Director at Family Planning Australia. She is engaged in the delivery of reproductive and sexual healthcare, research, advocacy, and education. Her research work has focused on developing models of care, health equity, and meeting the needs of underserved populations.
	Mr Jax Brown - LGBTIQA+ Disability Rights Activist (opens in a new window) Jax Brown, OAM is an esteemed LGBTQ disability rights activist, writer, educator, and consultant. They are committed to addressing the disadvantages people with disabilities face, particularly women and LGBTQ people with disability.
	Professor Jan Burns - Faculty of Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK (opens in a new window) Jan Burns is an internationally recognised expert in gender, sexuality and people with intellectual disabilities, and her later career the use of sport to promote health and inclusion for this marginalised group.
	Mr Thom Calma – Participate Australia (opens in a new window) Thom Calma has many years of experience working with people with disability and has worked with PrideAbility, a group for LGBTQA+ people with disability.
	Ms Ee-Lin Chang – Family Planning Australia Ee-Lin Chang is the Manager Health Promotion at Family Planning Australia, and previously the Senior Disability Health Promotion Officer. She has expertise in disability and reproductive & sexual health.
	Professor Angela Dew – School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University (opens in a new window) Angela Dew has an international reputation in disability research and participatory, arts-based methods. She is Professor of Disability and Inclusion at Deakin University and leads a program of research on complex support needs for people with disability as part of the Institute for Health Transformation.
	Ms Melissa Jolley (opens in a new window) Melissa Jolley is a Women’s Health Project Officer at Women with Disabilities Victoria. She has vast experience in the women’s health and disability sector and lived experience of disability.
	Ms Alexandra Lipa – ASHM (opens in a new window) Alexandra Lipa is a Senior Project Officer in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program at ASHM.
	Ms Catherine Londos (Co-Lead WHRTN) – LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (opens in a new window) Catherine Londos is a queer, bisexual, neurodivergent woman from a CALD background, who deeply values the expertise of both her own and others unique perspectives as an essential form of knowledge production.
	Doctor Amie O’Shea – School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University (opens in a new window) Amie O’Shea is a Lecturer in Disability and Inclusion and co-chair of the Diversity and Equity Committee, Institute for Health Transformation. Her research directly engages with people with disability, in the areas of health and wellbeing, LGBTQ, violence and abuse, Deafness and Auslan.
	Doctor Claire Quilliam – Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne (opens in a new window) Claire Quilliam is an autistic, genderfluid person who is passionate about improving health service access for people with disability. As a rural health research fellow, she aims to identify novel strategies to develop the rural health workforce.
	Ms Nelissa Ramsay – Rainbow Bridge Social Club Nelissa Ramsay is a proud Tongan, Indigenous Queer woman who has an intellectual disability. She is a member of the Rainbow Bridge Social Club, a social support group for LGBTQ people with intellectual disability.
	Ms Alexa Rea – Participate Australia Alexa Rea is a project manager for Participate Australia and PrideAbility (Queer social support group for People with Disability), and Disability Support Worker for Participate Australia.
	Mx Vicky-Rae Reed – Westerns Sydney University; Valkyrie Disability Services (opens in a new window) Vicky-Rae is a Sociology & Gender Studies undergraduate student at Western Sydney University. They are a member on numerous advisory committees and is the founder of Valkyrie Disability Services.
	Professor Damien Riggs – Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University (opens in a new window) Damien Riggs is a professor in psychology, a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society, and a psychotherapist in private practice in working with trans young people. He has authored the current suite of Australian Psychological Society materials on LGBTQIA+ people, including its statement on affirming approaches to working with transgender people.
	Professor Iva Strnadová - Disability Innovation Institute UNSW (opens in a new window) Iva Strnadová has a national and international reputation as a leading expert in the field of applied research in intellectual disabilities, inclusive research, and special and inclusive education. Combining research with advocacy is essential in her research program, which is grounded in an innovativeinclusive research approach in which people with intellectual disabilities are included in the role of researcher.
	Mr Lex Tan – Participate Australia Lex Tan is a member of PrideAbility, a movement that promotes ongoing education, understanding, and respect through a network of connections and advocacy that provides support and friendship for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who identify as LGBTQIA.
	Ms Ashleigh Tikolevu – Family Planning Australia Ashleigh Tikolevu is the Senior Health Promotion Officer for the Disability Stream at Family Planning Australia with experience working with people with disability, CALD communities, Aboriginal communities, and young people with focus on young men and LGBTQ youth.
	Charbel Zada - ACON Charbel Zada is an accessibility and inclusion specialist working in the LGBTQ+ Disability space for almost a decade. As a Lived experience practitioner, he co-founded and leads the Sydney Disability and Queer Community group and currently works for the City of Sydney and ACON as an intersectional group facilitator.