Despite this important step forward, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex LGBTI people in Australia still experience discrimination, harassment and hostility in many parts of everyday life; in public, at work and study, accessing health and other services and securing proper recognition of their sex in official documents. Australians of diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity may account for up to 11 per cent of the Australian population. Most of these children 89 per cent are in female same-sex couple families. As with the general population, people with intersex variations have a broad range of gender identities and sexual orientations. Estimates range from one in 2,000 births to four per cent of the population however the Organisation Intersex International Australia OII Australia recommends a mid-range figure of 1. Young people aged 16 to 24 years are most likely to hide their sexuality or gender identity. Young men 70 per cent and gender-questioning young people 66 per cent were more likely than young women 53 per cent to experience verbal abuse. They are almost 50 per cent less likely to be physically abused at school, less likely to suffer other forms of homophobic abuse, less likely to self-harm and less likely to attempt suicide. For all other health measures, there were no statistically significant differences. Our role The Commission can investigate complaints of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status under the , which was amended in August 2013. We have conducted a number of major projects in recent years to identify and build community awareness around the human rights issues faced by LGBTI people. Find out more about in this area. Department of Health, Australian Government, 2012 , p 4. Australian Bureau of Statistics, above. Australian Bureau of Statistics, note 2. See the information page on the website for a more detailed explanation of intersex. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, above, p 46. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, 2010 , p 39. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, above, p 39. For example, while 26 per cent of males and 23 per cent of females reported experiencing verbal abuse within a 12 months period, the percentages jump to 47 per cent and 37 per cent for trans males and trans females respectively. See Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, note 7, p 47. Beyond Blue, 2012 , pp 1-2. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, note 9, p 40. T Jones and Western Australian Equal Opportunity Commission, 2012 , p 11. Australian Bureau of Statistics, note 2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, note 2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, note 2. University of Melbourne, 2013 , p 1. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, note 7, p 46.
