While gay and lesbian people are as diverse as the rest of the population, their shared experience
of discrimination creates common health issues. Australian society generally regards
heterosexuality as the most acceptable sexual orientation, which means that gay men, lesbians
and bisexual people may be marginalised and discriminated against.
Transgender and intersex people may also experience marginalisation and discrimination in relation
to their health and wellbeing. Intersex refers to a biological condition where a person is born with
reproductive organs and/or sex chromosomes that are not exclusively male or female. The
previous term for intersex was hermaphrodite.