Deputy mayor Joanne McRae knows a thing or two about struggles with identity.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“Let’s go back 30 years – for me growing up there were no ‘out’ celebrities, and anyone who did come out got sacked or lost sponsorship. I was growing up in a time when there was no visibility or support and I certainly felt very isolated,” she said.
She hopes to be a mentor to people in the same situation she found herself in growing up when she helps headspace Orange launch Kaleidoscope, a LGBTI social group for those grappling with gender or sexual identity.
“But for a young person coming to terms with who they are and being different, having a place where that diversity is accepted and embraced and they can meet other people is vital,” Cr McRae said.
“If there’s a way I can help them by saying ‘you can be yourself and still be a leader in the community’, I like to think I could provide that.”
Just under 20 per cent of people using services at headspace Orange identified as LGBTI last year, and program manager Alison Logan said headspace was “thrilled” that people “feel comfortable to access the services here”.
“Headspace is a safe place but especially for LGBTI people, we have quite a number of young people accessing our services from that group, we wanted them coming to headspace and having a safe place to socialise,” Mrs Logan said.
The first meeting of the group will be on February 28 at 4pm at 264 Peisley Street. For more information call 6369 9300.