ABOUT

About the Intersections Project

Many people with a history of being marginalised report that they experience health care access barriers and inequities.

Research into these experiences is often limited to a single identity category. This overlooks the needs of people who experience health care access barriers and inequities as a result of multiple intersecting axes of marginalisation (e.g., disability, gender identity, and sexuality).

Through our Intersections Project, we talked to people who fall through the cracks. Participants were part of at least two, or more, groups that face problems finding appropriate healthcare and were interviewed in 2018 and 2019.

What makes the project different?

We took the time to meet people in the format and time frame that met their cognitive, mobility and trauma-related needs. As a result, we spoke to people with a diverse range of community memberships and/or life experiences.

This included  people with two or more lived experiences as Aboriginal people, people from culturally and linguistically marginalised communities, people with intersex variations, Autistic people, people of transgender and/or non-binary experience and/or identity, people with disability labels and/ or impairments, consensually non-monogamous/ polyamorous and multi-partnered people, people in BDSM/kink relationships, parents, carers, and people with stigmatised life experiences such as sex work, incarceration, homelessness, poverty, and/or substance addiction.

We talked to people whose voices haven’t been heard, not just people who are considered ‘leaders’ within their identity categories. We know that each person’s needs and experiences will be different from other people who might check the same boxes.

How are we using the stories?

We are now using the wisdom and insights we gained to educate health providers and health system authorities about current gaps and problems with healthcare. The goal is to improve health services and help other people with similar needs to get better healthcare.

What are intersectional needs?

Many people are part of groups that have been treated badly or excluded when they seek health care. This might be because of their faith, their gender, their sexuality, their disability, or another reason. Some people are part of more than one group that has not had their needs met. The word intersectional refers to someone who is part of more than one of these groups.

Some people have intersectional needs—needs due to being part of more than one group. Here are some examples: