Vic Govt funds trans project

Victoria's Zoe Belle Gender Centre (ZBGC) has received funding from the Victorian Government for a Youth Suicide Prevention project.

It is believed this is the first-ever funding for a trans organisation in Victoria.

The project will be jointly overseen by ZBGC and TransGender Victoria (TGV).  

Victorian Mental Health Minister, Mary Wooldridge (pictured) recently announced a $4.5 million package for the LGBTI communities of Victoria.

Dani Wright, convener of the National LGBTI Health Alliance Mental Health Working Group said people of diverse sex and gender report much higher levels of depression than do the majority of Australians.

"One in four people who responded to the Tranznation survey in 2006 reported suicidal thoughts in the two weeks before they completed the survey," Wright said. "A similar study in the US showed that 32% of transgender respondents had attempted suicide."

Wright added that the lack of research into the mental wellbeing of intersex people was of deep concern.

"We desperately need research into how Intersex people are coping with the medical and surgical interventions they often undergo in childhood, and sometimes even as adults,” she said.

"We hope this move by the Victorian Government is a first step in state health services really coming to grips with Transgender health needs, and we would encourage a similar focus on the needs of Intersex people as well,” Wright said.