Outing disability - A photographic journey

Outing Disability is a photographic journey documenting the stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people with disability produced in collaboration with internationally acclaimed photographer Belinda Mason. Through portrait and voice twenty six people share their hopes, dreams, struggles and triumphs. They tell their stories of coming out, exploring identity, discovering love and finding pride.

Comprised of photographic panels, audio stories and a documentary, Outing Disability encourages the viewer to reflect on the diverse and often challenging experiences of LGBTIQ people with disability.

A standard English information sheet about the exhibition is available to download here.

An easy English information sheet about the exhibition is available to download here.

We also have a range of resources accompanying the Outing Disability project

• From Outing Disability to Inclusivity: An Introductory Guide for disability services on how to be LGBTIQ inclusive: A booklet with information to support and engage disability organisations to promote safe and supportive environments that uphold the rights of LGBTIQ people with disability. Available to download here.
• Outing Disability poster series: With this series of posters, disability services and allies of LGBTIQ people with disability can show support for the rights of people with disability. These posters are free to order from the Family Planning NSW Shop. https://shop.fpnsw.org.au
• We also have easy English fact sheets about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identities as part of our All About Sex series for people with intellectual disability and the people who support them. You can download here: www.fpnsw.org.au/allaboutsex

To view the complete exhibition online or for more information go to: http://outingdisability.com.au

You can also contact us at healthpromotion@fpnsw.org.au for more information about the project and expressions of interest for future exhibitions.

 

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Iconically Kerry

"Everything that is built in the world around us is designed by people for people. It can be designed to include everyone, not just the typical able-bodied, able-minded person. Any effoert in inclusion goes a long way."

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Creating myself

"Able bodied people, straight people, cis-gendered people, need to stop and realise that sometimes they don't have all the answers, and sometimes they need to listen to the answers of others."

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Izzy

"I think I'm just as capable as any other person, just in different ways."

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Finding space

"There's space in you, there's space in the community for you to be able to express yourself."

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Mark

"It's really important to create more visibility, to get out there and talk about your experiences, share your story and try to raise awareness... and at the same time fight that stigma."

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Invisible disabilities

"Don't judge a disability by its visibility."

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Glad to be out

“My name is Georgia.  I was born with cerebral palsy.  It has a profound impact on who I am, as does being gay.  People make assumptions about me, like just because I live in an unruly body I am not a sexual being or sexually desirable.  I don’t like how these assumptions infantilise me.  I am proud of my body and my sexuality.  Sex is a human urge.  In recognition of that, we can be viewed as somewhat socially equal.”

 

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Role model

“My name’s Yvette. I’m a mum and I was born with a neural deafness in both ears. I wasn’t out gay until about five years ago. It was big enough for me to be open about my disability, and then to have another thing that put me in a minority group was just like ‘I can’t deal with that!’ But I wanted my son to have a really great role model so I came out and I haven’t looked back.”

 

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Strength of self

“I’m Mark. I’ve got an intellectual disability. I’m blind. My cousin, he knows I’m gay. He told me all about it. He said to me don’t worry about it. I go to the gym a lot. I wouldn’t mind a boyfriend. That’s all I want, a cuddle every night.”

 

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My best friend

“My name is Nathen. Aek and I have been together for just over six years. My disability is fairly recent. I lost my eye in 2012 due to complications from cancer. It doesn’t have to be hard if you have people around you who are supportive.” 

“My name is Aek. To me a person is still a person in any shape and form. We all change sooner or later.”

 

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Intersections

“My name is Bryan. I’m Deaf, gay and Aboriginal. I grew up in a family that is completely Deaf so it was just natural. I’m lucky in a sense to have those three different intersections and lucky to be very accepted in each of these three different areas.”

 

 

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Nothing to hide

“My name is Meredith. I had a large aneurysm when I was 16. In hospital I realised I was probably a lesbian. Being a lesbian and having a disability there’s a double whammy but it’s ok to be both. I want to be real with myself - with my disability and my sexuality. I don’t want to be something that I’m not.”

 

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Strength of the human spirit

 “My name is Michael. I have an intellectual disability and I’m gay. For people with an intellectual disability to be accepted it’s like a building with ramps for people who are in wheelchairs - they put ramps up so the people in wheelchairs can come in. The gay community need to put up some social ramps for us.”

 

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I know who I am

 “I’m Steve. I was born in a female’s body. It didn’t occur to me I could be transgender because I’d never heard of it before. Having an intellectual disability doesn’t define who I am. People don’t think someone with intellectual disability will say ‘I’m trans’. What you have in life, it all comes down to knowing who you are.”

 

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Roxanne

 “I’m Anthony. I was born gay. In the evenings I go out to the city where there are a lot of drag shows. Everyone dresses up like I do. One day I want to get married. I can’t wait!”

 

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Stephen & Lisa

“I am a cross dresser and I have an intellectual disability. I do a lot of wearing of girl’s clothes. My family don’t agree with it, that’s their choice. I look good and feel good when I have makeup and a wig on. If you aren’t strong in what you believe you are going to be useless. I’m not useless. I’m not past my use by date.”

 

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The kiss

 “I kissed her and that’s how everything bloomed. Our rights are diminished because we have intellectual disability and we are bisexual, but we deserve our rights to be respected and understood. We are both very proud of who we are and we won’t let anybody destroy that.”

 

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Audio Descriptions by 

Insightful_enhancing access to arts, culture & media for people with a disability

Scripted by Imogen Yang, Linda Arnull

Voiced by Imogen Yang

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