What is ‘Diversity in Gender, Body, Kinship, and Sexuality (GBKS)’ and why do we use this language?
Diversity means all of us. However, not all of us have been included, prioritised, and valued. GBKS focuses specifically on ensuring that those forms of gender, body, kinship, and sexuality lived experience that have been excluded or marginalised can achieve ongoing and equitable inclusion.
Locally and internationally, including within PACFA, there has been a shift away from speaking in generalities and lumping together lived experiences under Anglocentric and Eurocentric umbrella categories like ‘LGBTQIA+.’
This is part of an anti-racist, decolonial shift away from a one-dimensional approach and the overgeneralised use of umbrella categories, toward recognition of nuance, depth, sanctity and multiplicity of voices across the domains of gender, body, kinship and sexuality.
GBKS
Diversity in gender, body, kinship and sexuality (GBKS) refers to a broader range of cultures, communities, and people whose gender, body, kinship and/or sexuality lived experiences are or have been excluded or marginalised.
In addition to people who feel they fit within the concept of 'LGBTQI,' this also includes but is not limited to traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sistergirls and Brotherboys; Sa'moan fa'afafine and fa'atama; Māori takatāpui and a wide variety of other terms and concepts within Aboriginal, Indigenous and First Nations communities, and asexual/ace spectrum people; aromantic/aro spectrum people; non-binary and agender people (including those who do not identify as 'trans'); people with intersex characteristics who seek recognition distinct from 'LGBTQ'; polyamorous and/or multi-partnered people; people in BDSM/kink and/or queerplatonic forms of kinship; and many more people who matter. This includes people who use other language to describe their excluded or marginalised GBKS lived experiences or who may not use labels to describe themselves.
Bodily diversity
By bodily diversity, we include not only variations associated with sex characteristics, but also the well-established intersections of people's gender, kinship and sexuality lived experiences with disability, body size, and neurodivergence.
Queer kinships
Queer kinships have been widely researched and discussed in many queer communities, both locally and around the world. For PACFA members who are unfamiliar with this concept and why we and many others have shifted to discuss ‘kinships’ instead of ‘relationships,’ we invite you to explore the many available cross-cultural sources on this topic by people and communities with queer lived experience through an internet search for this term.
Our Interest Group raises awareness about, advocates for, and promotes current and emerging advances in culturally safe standards and practices, both within the category of ‘LGBTQI’ and beyond, for practitioners working across this broad range of cultures, communities, and people. This includes developing practice resources, providing guidance to PACFA, and offering continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to promote current and emerging standards and practices informed by lived experience community wisdom and peer-reviewed evidence when working with LGBTQI people and people with other forms of excluded or marginalised gender, body, kinship and sexuality lived experiences and needs.
We would love to connect with you! Contact the Diversity in Gender, Body, Kinship and Sexuality Interest Group: [email protected]
Policy & Advocacy
In 2018, a previous iteration of the Leadership Group reviewed PACFA’s Position Statement on Therapeutic Support for LGBTIQ clients and their families. This important document ensures safe practice by explicitly prohibiting the practice of so-called conversion therapies which have been found to be harmful to LGBTIQ clients.
In January 2020, a new Leadership Group formed, to bring new ideas and energy to the Interest Group. All Leadership Group members bring expertise and experience of LGBTQI+ issues and care about diversity in gender, body, kinship, and sexuality beyond just ‘LGBTQI+’.
In July 2020, the Leadership Group made a brief policy submission to the National Mental Health Commission (NMHC), raising concerns over the treatment of LGBTQI+ people with lived experience in the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan 2020.
In November 2020, the Leadership Group published a statement on the Education Legislation Amendment (parental Rights) Bill 2020, expressing grave concerns about the proposed NSW legislation which would would deny young people, families, and school staff protection from discrimination, vilification, and abuse based on gender identity or intersex status. Download LGBTQI+ Leadership Group Statement on Education Legislation Amendment Bill 2020.
In February 2021, the Leadership Group received Board approval to change its name to reflect emerging shifts in the field toward greater recognition of diversity in gender, body, kinship, and sexuality beyond the limitations of ‘LGBTQI+’. The Interest Group plans to develop practice resources and professional development opportunities.
Between August 2020 and September 2021, we initiated successful formal ethics complaints with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the Australian Professional Association for Transgender Health (AusPATH) regarding ongoing practices among Australian WPATH and ANZPATH members that denied gender-affirming care. Our advocacy for gender-affirming healthcare and the results of our work were shared in PACFA eNews.