Green MP to speak at panel on Rainbow Mental Health
Green MP Jan Logie to speak at panel on Rainbow Mental Health
Hamilton, New Zealand:
Recently re-elected Green Party MP Jan Logie will
be a guest speaker at a panel on the mental health of Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, Trangender, Takataapui and Intersex
people taking place on November 1st as part of the annual
Hamilton Pride Festival.
“Discrimination and
marginalisation can create mental health problems and we all
need to acknowledge this and work towards a society without
discrimination while building our own sense of community and
individual resilience.” says Jan Logie.
The
panel focuses on the very high levels of mental health
issues among rainbow people, especially youth. Young people
who are attracted to the same sex have the highest levels of
suicide attempts of all young people in New Zealand
according to research. Rainbow people make up over a quarter
of all mental health clients in the Auckland
area.
“But the panel is not just about the gloomy
statistics,” says organiser Kaye McLaren.
“Speakers will also talk about innovative practice with
rainbow people. They will also share their personal stories
of hope and recovery to inspire audience
members.”
Counsellor Mani B. Mitchell will talk
about mental health issues for intersex people. Kaupapa
Maori counsellor Alexander Stevens and traditional healer
David Kukutai-Jones will discuss cultural approaches. Sexual
Health Advocate Siaosi Mulipola and Pasifika LGBTI expert
Phylesha Brown-Acton will focus on issues for the Pacific
rainbow community.
The panel also includes two youth
representatives, and is funded by the University of
Waikato’s Cultural Committee.
The panel will take
place in Te Whare Tapere Iti at the Gallagher Centre for
Performing Arts at the University of Waikato on 1 November
2014, starting at
3:0pm.
ends