Wear it Purple Day

“It’s important that we celebrate Wear it Purple Day to show visible support to the Rainbow Youth. To show them that we care and are with them.”

Wear It Purple Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the issues faced by LGBTQIA+ youth, and a reminder of the importance of creating a safe, supportive and welcoming environment.

Mel Woodham is an LGBTQIA+ Liaison at Eastern Health who uses her lived experience to help others.

“We provide a direct point of contact to patients. We also provide social, cultural and emotional support to them.

“We support individuals before, during and after admission, and guide them on community referrals. We also assist with feedback and complaints for staff at Eastern Health.

“For staff, we give advice on LGBTQIA+ related care, such as gender affirming care, mental health guidance on referrals, social support groups and linkages, and also provide education.”

Having experienced family rejection in the past due to her identity, Mel’s lived experience has given her the understanding of why showing visible support is important.

“The most rewarding part of my role is that I’m considered a safe person for LGBTQIA+ individuals coming to Eastern Health.

That means they can open-up to me, simply be themselves, and ask questions that maybe they wouldn’t feel comfortable asking somebody else.”

Data shows that:
• 89% LBGTQIA+ youth have experienced some form of anti LGBTQ hate.
• 1 in 2 LGBTQIA+ youth have experienced verbal harassment.
• 1 out of 10 LGBTQIA+ youth have experienced physical violence.
• 1 out of 4 LGBTQIA+ young people have attempted suicide.
• 75% of LGBTQIA+ youth have reported being bullied due to their identity (80% of this occurred in Australian schools).

If you need support from an LGBTQIA+ Liaison while accessing an Eastern Health service, please contact: rainbow@easternhealth.org.au or phone 0403108237

*Data shown are sourced from Human Rights Commission, Minus 18 National Survey, AIHW- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, LGBTQIA+ Health Australia and Private Lives 3.