Position statement by the Australian Medical Students’ Association

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The Australian Medical Students’ Association has adopted a new policy document entitled “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) health policy“. OII Australia welcomes this statement, which we hope will have an impact on practices and accreditation standards for medical schools. AMSA is the “peak representative body of Australia’s medical students”.

The policy statement acknowledges that “Intersex individuals face a number of medical challenges, including sterilisation, normalising surgeries in infancy and inappropriate medical care into adulthood”, and states that intersex people need autonomy over our own bodies.

The position statement reads:

AMSA believes that

  1. Healthcare systems should not negatively discriminate against individuals on the basis of their gender identity, sexuality/sexual orientation and/or intersex status;
  2. Medical graduates in Australia should be competent in providing inclusive, respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate care of LGBTIQ individuals;
  3. Medical schools have a responsibility to provide appropriate and effective curricula in LGBTIQ healthcare and cultural competence to medical students;
  4. Management of intersex individuals should be carried out by multidisciplinary teams and should occur within a human rights framework that respects individuals’ autonomy over their own bodies;
  5. Individuals should have access to gender affirmation procedures, should they wish to seek them and do so with full consent; and
  6. LGBTIQ health requires a multidisciplinary approach to address the diversity within LGBTIQ communities, including consulting with LGBTIQ organisations and representatives to ensure the needs of their community are being met.

The policy statement asks Australian medical schools to address LGBTIQ issues as social determinants of health, avoid “stigmatising models of sexuality, sexual orientation, intersex status and gender identity”, and develop modules on anti-discrimination legislation and legal responsibilities towards LGBTIQ individuals.

OII Australia would like to warmly thank the representatives of AMSA who consulted with us in the development of this policy document.

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