Synopsis:

Drawing on several recent and ongoing Australian research projects, funded by the Australian Research Council and the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC), ‘Young and Well’, this presentation focuses on how health care professionals can most effectively engage with sexuality and gender diverse children and young people to provide the most inclusive and affirmative care. Findings from this body of research: challenge traditional developmental understandings about children and childhood; emphasise changing perspectives on gender and sexuality identity especially amongst young people; provide critical perspectives on the social and medical gender transition experiences of children; highlight the impact of transphobia and homophobia on health and wellbeing; and point out the importance of positive health care experiences in the lives of these children and young people.

Speaker:

Kerry Robinson is a professor in sociology in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Leader of Sexualities and Genders Research (SaGR), and Director of the Diversity and Human Rights Research Centre, at Western Sydney University. She is an international expert in the field of childhood, gender and sexuality studies, sexuality education and children’s and young people’s sexual citizenship, with international collaborative links with researchers in these areas in the UK and Canada. Professor Robinson is working on building interdisciplinary dialogues and research links across sociology, critical psychology, education, and health and medicine, with the aim of providing more effective interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.