I got an email back in June I haven’t been able to forget about. It really touched me and I wanted to share it with you. If you needed a worthy cause to donate, I believe Rainbow Family is a wonderful cause. Thank you, Ashley for emailing me! (Posted with permission.)
‘Visiting early childhood services, we found some staff were uncertain and … hesitant about enrolling our child. One director asked ‘what do you want from us?’ while stepping away from us. At another service after explaining that my son had 2 mums, staff asked me to note that under ‘special needs’.’ – Lesbian mum |
Rainbow Families tackles issues of the discrimination, exclusion, unconscious bias, lack of support, and blatant homophobia/ transphobia still experienced in 2022 by the LGBTQ+ community generally and rainbow families in particular.
Rainbow Families receives no core government funding and relies on the generosity of people just like you to fund our work for greater inclusion and acceptance. Can you donate now?
“Accessing government services as a rainbow family is often difficult. Our families are more vulnerable. It’s not simply the forms, which are often wrong and need amending, but dealing with government employees who need to interpret law and policy.
Being told, as I was, that the requirements for my partner and I to register our child’s birth were different because we were same-sex parents was a deeply upsetting experience.” – Lesbian mum
Rainbow Families examined these experiences of discrimination and exclusion in a series of research reports entitled ‘Love Makes a Family‘
The Reports found mainstream services did not adequately cater for the needs of rainbow families, or even often recognise the existence of families other than the conventional mother + father model
These Reports detail multiple instances in which rainbow families were confronted with discrimination, ignorance and exclusion across health, education, childcare settings and other government funded services.
As a result, many LGBTIQ+ parents do not access support from mainstream services for fear of not being accepted.
Some Queer parents do not feel comfortable attending a traditional parenting support group , and those that do often report not feeling comfortable to share openly and honestly with the group or with professional service providers.
Rainbow Families tackles the lack of support that LGBTQ+ parents and their families receive from mainstream services.
We create the inclusive and safe services, spaces, programs and resources which rainbow families need to thrive.
“A male doctor at my hospital visit questioned how I had sex (stating his daughter wanted to know). After the birth, I had to change the Birth Certificate form to show mother/mother rather than mother/father as printed.”
Negative interactions with medical professionals pose very real threats of exacerbating poor mental health amongst the LGBTQ+ community.
“I had one (health service staff member) ask ” which one is the real mother?” Of course it was not intended to offend but just lack of knowledge about appropriate language.’
Rainbow Families act as a representative voice, campaigner and advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) parents and their children – who mainstream society often neglects, forgets, ignores and discriminates against.
We develop educational resources and training workshops that diverse families feel comfortable accessing so they can get the support they need to live their best lives.
We support young people and children of rainbow parents so they can be their most authentic selves and thrive at school.
From programs helping future parents explore their family-making options through to antenatal classes, lactation support, playgroups, camps, kids’ personal safety programs and social events, Rainbow Families fights systemic discrimination with love and affirming action.
Your donation supports these valuable programs.
Focusing on equality, we also engage with policy, research and provide leadership, our guiding principle being…
‘Love is what makes a family, and every family matters.’
Thank you for everything you do in love and support of rainbow families,
Ashley at Rainbow Families
http://www.rainbowfamilies.com.au/