Multicultural Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing/Health and sexual diversity

Sex, gender and sexual diversity have a significant influence on the health of our population, the impact of which is experienced in different ways. They can determine patterns of health and illness and also experiences of healthcare in three key ways:

1.Dominant understandings of sexuality and gender identity continue to marginalise and discriminate against GLBTI people. Systematic discrimination against sexual and gender minorities results in primary health issues and patterns of illness specific to GLBTI people and a reduction in their access to mainstream health services and quality of care. 2.Sexual orientation and gender identity operate as independent indicators for a range of GLBTI health issues. These include sexual health issues specific to gay men, reproductive health issues for lesbians and a range of physical health needs specific to transgender and intersex people respectively. 3.Sexual orientation and gender identity interact with other social determinants including socioeconomic status, race, ethnic and religious affiliation, and geographic location to produce patterns of health and illness within GLBTI communities.

Examining the interrelationship between sex, sexuality and gender suggests that sexuality can be understood as historically and socially constructed, challenging notions of biological determinism. A case study of extra-marital sexuality among Bangladeshi men will include a consideration of the role of language and visibility and their impact on heteronormativity, sexual stratification and sexual/gendered inequity.

Resources

Lecture

Health and Sexual Diversity

Readings

Conron, K.J., Mimiaga, M.J. and Landers, S.J. (2010) “A population-based study of sexual orientation identity and gender differences in adult health” American Journal of Public Health 100:10, 1953-1960.
Herdt, G. and Kertzner, R.M. (2006) “I do, but I can’t: The impact of marriage denial on the mental health and sexual citizenship of lesbians and gay men in the United States” Sexuality Research and Social Policy 3, 33–49.
Mayer, K.H., Bradford, J.B., Makadon, H.J., Stall, R., Goldhammer, H., and and Landers, S. (2008) “Sexual and gender minority health: What we know and what needs to be done” American Journal of Public Health 98:6, 989-995.
McNair, R., Szalacha, L.A. and Hughes, T. (2011) “Health status. health service use, and satisfaction according to sexual identity of young Australian women” Women’s Health Issues 21:1, 40-47.
McIntosh, Peggy. (1990). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
This essay is excerpted from Working Paper 189. “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming To See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies” (1988), by Peggy McIntosh.
Caperchione, C., Kolt, G., Tennent, R., & Mummery, W. (2011). Physical activity behaviours of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women living in Australia: A qualitative study of socio-cultural influences. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 26.
Association for Women’s Rights in Development. (2004). Intersectionality: A tool for Gender and economic justice (Vol. 9). Toronto: Association for Women’s Rights in Development.
Fisher, C., Hunt, L., Adamsam, R., & Thurston, W. E. (2007). ‘Health's a difficult beast’: The interrelationships between domestic violence, women's health and the health sector: An Australian case study. Social Science & Medicine, 65(8), 1742-1750. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.05.047
Fildes, D., Cass, Y., Wallner, F., & Owen, A. (2010). Shedding light on men: the Building Healthy Men Project. Journal of Men's Health, 7(3), 233-240.
Morgan, M., Hayes, R., Williamson, M., & Ford, C. (2007). Men's Sheds: A Community Approach to Promoting Mental Health and Well-being. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 9(3), 48-52. doi: 10.1080/14623730.2007.9721842

Videos

Health and sexual diversity