Related resources
  2. Suicide prevention
  3. Populations disproportionately impacted by suicide

LGBTIQA+ communities

LGBTIQA+ communities are made up of individuals with unique experiences and needs. Throughout this page, the acronym "LGBTIQA+" is used to refer to people of diverse sexualities, genders and bodies. Different acronyms are also used intentionally to describe specific groups within the community (e.g. LGBTQA+, LGB+), or to align language with national strategies (e.g. LGBTIQ+).

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse (LGBTIQA+) people are identified as a population disproportionately impacted by suicide in Australia.

The umbrella term LGBTIQA+ is used to describe the shared experiences of marginalisation around sex, gender and sexuality. People and groups within the LGBTIQA+ community have distinct histories, experiences and needs.

What does the evidence tell us about suicide for LGBTIQA+ people?

Although many LGBTIQA+ people live healthy and happy lives, research suggests they are disproportionately impacted by suicide.

The increased risk of suicide among LGBTIQA+ individuals is not inherently linked to their sexuality, gender identity or intersex characteristics. Instead, these risks stem from psychological distress caused by related discrimination, prejudice, abuse and exclusion.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that LGBTQ+ people* are more likely to have self-harmed and have experienced suicidal thoughts than their heterosexual or cisgender peers.

  • Almost half of all LGB+ people (47.8%) had thought about suicide in their lifetime, compared with just over one in seven heterosexual people (15.3%).
  • Over two in five LGB+ people (41.2%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, compared with less than one in 10 heterosexual people (7.4%).
  • More than one in four trans people aged 16–85 years (28.5%) had thought about suicide in their lifetime, compared with one in six cis people (16.5%).
  • Almost one in five trans people (19.6%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, compared with one in 12 cis people (8.5%).
  • Four in five non-binary people (79.6%) had thought about suicide in their lifetime, compared to 14.9% of men and 18.0% of women.
  • Almost three in four non-binary people (72.8%) had self-harmed in their lifetime, compared with 6.7% of men and 10.3% of women.

* The ABS was unable to produce reliable data for people born with variations of sex characteristics (sometimes referred to as intersex). However, some data is available from the Private Lives 3 survey. In this sample, almost nine in 10 participants (87%) participants with an intersex variation/s reported experiencing suicidal thoughts in their lifetimes.

View the Life in Mind summary of mental health findings for LGBTQ+ Australians.
Data collection reform remains a priority for LGBTIQA+ suicide prevention, including:
  • Capturing data on sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status in the Census.
  • Embedding the ABS 2020 Standard for the collection of data relating to sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation in all relevant data sets.
  • Reviewing health and coronial data reporting to include questions that adequately capture sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex variations.

Factors that may increase risk of suicide

Factors that contribute to adverse outcomes for LGBTIQA+ people include:

  • Individual discrimination
  • Structural discrimination
  • Intersecting discrimination, including racism
  • Minority stress
  • Intergenerational trauma
  • Involuntary medical intervention
  • Lack of gender affirmation
  • Pathologisation (to view being LGBTIQA+ as medically or psychologically abnormal)
  • Social isolation
  • Sexual, domestic and family violence
  • Clinical mental health conditions
  • Lack of access to suitable and affordable services
  • Homelessness, poverty, unemployment and disrupted education.

Factors that protect against risk of suicide

Factors that enable LGBTIQA+ people to flourish and promote wellbeing include:

  • Healthy self-esteem and resilience
  • A sense of purpose
  • Feeling included and safe in one’s family and all communities
  • Positive relationships
  • Community connectedness
  • Self-determination and human rights
  • The right to practice culture and apply cultural protocols
  • Gender affirmation and gender-affirming health care.

"LGBTIQ+ people demonstrate considerable resilience despite adversity, but our communities continue to experience concerning levels of discrimination, harassment and violence, compared to the general population."

What does this mean for policy and practice?

The Beyond Urgent: National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026 was developed in response to the need for urgent action on mental health and suicide prevention for LGBTIQA+ communities.

The strategy includes four goals:

  1. Reduce the rates of psychological distress and suicidality (suicidal thoughts) among LGBTIQ+ communities.
  2. Increase access to safe and inclusive mental health care and support.
  3. Increase empowerment to lead to improved wellbeing for LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
  4. Reform data, research, funding and governance to deliver effective, community-led responses to LGBTIQ+ mental health and suicidality (suicidal thoughts).

Each goal is linked to strategic priorities and actions to improve outcomes for LGBTIQ+ people and communities.