International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination
17 May 2025
Today, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) acknowledges the International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination or IDAHOBIT, marking the anniversary of the World Health Organization removing homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases on 17 May 1990.
PSA recognises that LGBTQIA+ people continue to have poorer physical and mental health outcomes than the general population, with research from La Trobe University finding that 57% of LGBTQIA+ Australians have reported discrimination due to their sexual orientation, and almost 80% of people who are trans or gender diverse had experienced discrimination due to their gender identity.
This was reaffirmed in PSA’s 2024 consumer insights project, which found that LGBTQIA+ patients often do not feel seen, recognised or safe when accessing health care.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said acknowledging and reflecting on the lived experience of LGBTQIA+ people is critical to providing better care:
“We must do better,” Associate Professor Sim said.
“To do better is to take deliberate action to address the barriers that lead to inequality in care so that no one feels unsafe accessing care.
“As pharmacists, we pride ourselves on being the most accessible health care professionals, but true accessibility goes beyond location or background. It must also mean creating and maintaining safe environments for both our patients and our colleagues.
“There is more we can all do, as individuals, teams, and as a profession with this IDAHOBIT reminding us to recommit to creating spaces where our LGBTQIA+ patients and colleagues are seen, safe, and respected. Healthcare is a fundamental right for all.
“I encourage all in our profession and our community to recognise today as an opportunity for reflection and a catalyst for action so that we can all play our part in making pharmacy a more inclusive place for all,” Associate Professor Sim concluded.
Action 4 of PSA’s vision for the profession, Pharmacists in 2030, identifies a series of key systems changes needed to support pharmacists help address systemic health disparities in vulnerable and priority population groups. This includes incentivising in-depth consultations with people from priority populations to drive individualised service and empowering pharmacists with the knowledge to provide culturally appropriate care to priority groups.
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
