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As a community-led organisation, LGBTIQ+ women have played an important role in our establishment, history and work since our very founding. That tradition continues today at Thorne Harbour Health, and our role as an organisation only grows to help meet the health service needs of LGBTIQ+ women, inclusive of all intersectionalities. We're committed to working with LGBTIQ+ women for LGBTIQ+ women through the development of a long-term women’s health strategy.

In 2015, we launched the inaugural (then named) LBQ Women’s Health Conference, the first of its kind in Australia, to explore the health service needs of lesbian, bisexual and queer women. In 2016, we partnered with ACON in expanding the conference to reach a national audience.The conference now focuses on the health and wellbeing needs of all LGBTIQ women within Australian communities. The event offers attendees a wide range of opportunities to discuss, engage with and explore these health needs as well as profile new and emerging research, innovative programs and services being delivered to address these needs in our communities. Conference guests participate in a range of workshops and presentations from local and international industry experts, health and human service providers and community members.This conference is committed meaningful inclusion, diversity and access. It aims to create safer spaces to strengthen the health and wellbeing of all LGBTIQ women, including lesbian, bisexual and queer women; trans, gender diverse and intersex women; Aboriginal women and Sistergirls; women of colour; and women with disabilities. We respect that experiences of lesbian, bisexual and queer sexuality can intersect with diverse gender experiences, intersex status and all forms of marginalisation that women experience. We acknowledge that striving for best practice and positive health outcomes for all women requires meaningful engagement and fostering a cross-sector response that embeds these principles in all aspects of our work.Take a look at the 2018 Conference program

Many people don't realise Thorne Harbour Health offers a great service for LGBTIQ+ women who are looking for affordable counselling in a safe environment where they can be open about their gender, sex, sexuality and a whole range of issues impacting them.

"This has been the only service I have tried to get help from that told me what they could offer me in terms of support, instead of asking me what I need help with. That is a big difference in my situation, because I’m unaware of what help I can be given." — Flexible Support Package Recipient

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC), in partnership with ACON, is excited to announce the keynote speakers for the 2018 LGBTIQ Women’s Health Conference. The conference, now in its fourth year, is the only national summit for LGBTIQ women’s health in Australia.2018 keynote speakers will include:Jerril Rechter – Jerril is the CEO of VicHealth. She is a World Health Organization Advisor, Chair of the International Network of Health Promotion Foundations, and Board Member of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.Alison Thorne – Alison is a socialist feminist. She is the managing editor of the Freedom Socialist Organiser and a founding member of Radical Women in Australia. She is a lifelong LGBTIQ liberationist.Naomi Fontanos –Naomi is a feminist and a long-time advocate of the Filipino transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, and queer (TLGBIQ) community. She is the Executive Director of Gender and Development Advocates (GANDA) Filipinas.Sally Rugg – Sally is the Executive Director of Change.org and the former campaign director of GetUp! where she worked at the forefront of the marriage equality campaign.Roj Amedi – Roj is the Senior Human Rights Campaigner at GetUp! as well as a writer and editor.The conference will be opened by the Minister for Health, Jill Hennessey, and additional keynote speakers are still to be announced.“We are thrilled by this year’s line-up. We’re confident this diverse and inspiring group of women will inspire a robust discussion about how we can better address LGBTIQ women’s health and empower those women in attendance,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth.“We’re tackling an ambitious portfolio of issues in just two days, including: sexual health, ageing, mental health, activism and feminism, breast and cervical cancers, trans health, living with disabilities, leadership, alcohol and other drugs, rainbow families, domestic and family violence, sex work, marriage equality and the refugee and migrant experience.”This year’s theme ‘Research, Resilience, Respect’ is aimed at exploring existing research into LGBTIQ women’s health. Furthermore, this year’s conference will highlight the need for further research — to acknowledge the resilience and strength of LGBTIQ women as well as pay respect to all LGBTIQ women’s communities.The conference, initiated by VAC in 2015, was born out of the realisation LGBTIQ women’s health is largely overlooked by both LGBTIQ and mainstream organisations.In 2016, VAC partnered with ACON to co-present the conference, which expanded to a two-day event in 2017 with over 300 attendees from all over Australia.LGBTIQ Women’s Health Conference will be on 12-13 July 2018 at the Jasper Hotel 489 Elizabeth Street Melbourne. For more information and registration, visit: lbq.org.au.

Lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women in regional Victoria will be supported to re-think their relationship with alcohol thanks to a new project by Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) and health promotion foundation VicHealth.The ReThink the Drink project will be launched at this year’s Bendigo Queer Film Festival, April 27-28 and is the first of its kind addressing alcohol culture change amongst LBQ women in Victoria.ReThink the Drink seeks to inspire alcohol culture change amongst LBQ women living in regional Victoria. Studies have shown LBQ women engage in risky drinking behaviours at higher levels than their heterosexual counterparts.The project includes a print and digital campaign that calls for women to share their story online.The campaign, which uses the tagline ‘Couldn’t Have Done That with a Hangover!’, was developed with LBQ women, who asked for a motivational and positive approach.“The approach has been driven by lesbian, bisexual, and queer women in regional Victoria who have helped design how this campaign looks and feels. We need to work together if we’re going to tackle alcohol culture change amongst these communities,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth.“We’re very excited to see this campaign roll out and start an important conversation with those regional communities about the impact alcohol is having on their lives.”VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said Rethink the Drink is an important step in increasing social support for low-risk drinking among some LBQ women.“Our vision is to see people supporting one another to reduce risky drinking, resulting in reduced harm for the individual, their family, people in the vicinity, and the broader community,” Ms Rechter said.“Rethink the Drink is about showing how risky drinking can hold us back from doing the things we love. Life really is better without the hangovers.”ReThink the Drink will be rolled out in Ballarat, Geelong, Morwell, and Bendigo and is part of VicHealth’s Alcohol Change Initiative.