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Aim: To outline the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) Australians living with dementia - and their partners., Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with LGBT people, their partners and service providers., Results: LGBT people living with dementia experience unique challenges including the failure of some families of origin and service providers to understand and value their sexual orientation or gender identity. The fear of discrimination by service providers results in greater reliance on intimate partners for care and compounds social isolation., Conclusions: The unique experiences of LGBT people with dementia are not well understood. There is a need to recognise historical experiences, including familial relationships, and provide advocacy to ensure sexual and gender rights are not violated. There is also a need to ensure that the experiences and perspectives of LGBT people living with dementia inform the development of services., (© 2015 AJA Inc.)

This paper outlines the development of culturally safe services for older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. It draws on a framework for cultural safety, developed in New Zealand which incorporates an understanding of how history, culture and power imbalances influence the relationship between service providers and Maori people. This has been adapted to the needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians., (© 2015 AJA Inc.)

This essay investigates a divergence between medical and autobiographical accounts of transexuality. By analyzing a letter to the editor in the journalAesthetic Plastic Surgerythat defends trans patients as a “special case” (Selvaggi and Giordano, 2014), I examine how medicineproducestrans patients as a separate category of patients. The differential treatment paths of trans and nontrans people who pursue “gender-enhancing” medical interventions demonstrate a double standard that undermines claims to act in the best interest of the patient. Using the evidence of trans men’s accounts of themselves as well as research into the experiences of trans people from across the United Kingdom, Australia, and North America, I critique the medical management of transexuality and call on clinicians to rethink the treatment practices of trans medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]