Older people with diverse sex and/or gender identity
According to the 2016 Census, older people made up a smaller proportion of the 1,260 people who reported a diverse sex and/or gender identity (including intersex/indeterminate, transgender, non-binary, another gender and ‘other’ (not further defined)) compared with younger Australians. As this was a new question, introduced on an opt-in basis, it is likely the 2016 Census did not capture all sex and gender-diverse individuals.
1 in 17 (5.9%) people who reported a diverse sex and/or gender identity were older Australians (aged 65 and over). This is likely an underrepresentation due to the decreasing preference for online forms with age (ABS 2017). This question was not included in the 2021 Census.
Population surveys are another source of information about older LGBTI Australians. Estimates from the 2019 ABS General Social Survey show that 1 in 10 (10%) of those who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual were aged 55 and over (Table 1). Note that these estimates have a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution (ABS 2020).
Population estimates suggest that a higher proportion of younger Australians identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another sexual minority orientation (for example, queer, pansexual) than older Australians (Wilson et al. 2020). In parallel with older Australians’ lower reported rates of being in a same-sex couple, these data might reflect changing societal attitudes and younger people’s greater willingness to report their sexual orientation.
Table 2E.1: Sexual orientation, by age estimates, 2019
|
Age group
|
Heterosexual
|
Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual
|
Total persons
|
|
|
Number (‘000)
|
|
<55
|
12,306.5
|
481.1*
|
13,354.2
|
|
55–69
|
3,899.3
|
44.8*
|
4,081.5
|
|
70+
|
2,543.2
|
9.0**
|
2,602.0
|
|
Total
|
18,737.7
|
539.2
|
20,010.8
|
* Estimates have a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
** Estimates have a relative standard error greater than 50% and are considered too unreliable for general use.
Notes:
- Estimates have a high margin of error and should be used with caution.
- Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. As a result cells do not add to the totals.
Source: ABS 2020.
A new way to collect information
Recently, the ABS developed the Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020. This standard forms part of the demographic set of items for use in surveys and administrative collections. It standardises the collection and dissemination of data relating to sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation (ABS 2021).
The 2020 standard is intended to improve the comparability and quality of data collected in Australia. It can be used by not only government but also academic and private-sector organisations in their own statistical collections. This standard will be applied to future ABS social surveys.
For more information, see the ABS Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020.
Health
Evidence from small-scale LGBTI targeted studies, and some larger population-based surveys, indicate that, overall, LGBTI people face disparities in terms of their mental health (ABS 2008), sexual health (Kirby Institute 2018) and rates of substance use (AIHW 2018). The lack of data sources with information about people in LGBTI communities limits reporting on their health. Some information about health-based need for assistance by older people is collected in the Census.
Older people may need assistance with one of the core activity areas of self-care, communication or mobility because of a disability, long-term health condition or the effects of old age. According to the 2016 Census, 7.1% of older partners in same-sex couples aged 65–74 reported having a need for assistance with core activities, increasing to 22% among partners in same-sex couples aged 75 and over. This was similar for older partners in opposite-sex couples: 8.7% of those aged 65–74 reported having a need for assistance with core activities, increasing to 25% for those aged 75 and over (AIHW analysis of ABS 2016).
Drug use
The AIHW’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey is the only national data source that specifically collects information by sexual identity. However, it does not include estimates for people identifying as transgender, intersex or queer. In 2019, 2 in 5 (40%) people who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual had used an illicit drug in the last 12 months, and almost 2 in 5 (38%) had exceeded the lifetime risk guidelines for use of alcohol (AIHW 2020). This information is not separately available for older people identifying as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Aged care
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recognised that LGBTI people, and others from diverse backgrounds, may have varied life experiences and face challenges accessing aged care services that meet their particular needs. It heard about the important role LGBTI volunteers play in helping reduce LGBTI residents’ isolation and maintaining connection to their LGBTI identity and communities (RCACQS 2021).
To help ensure aged care services are appropriate to the needs of all clients, the Aged Care Act 1997 designates some groups of people as ‘people with special needs’. Australians who identify as LGBTI are one such group. Other groups designated as ‘people with special needs’ in the Aged Care Act include people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, veterans, people who live in rural or remote areas, and older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
There is currently no way to identify LGBTI older Australians accessing aged care services. For those older people starting their journey into aged care, some information may be collected as part of the screening and assessment process.
Social support
Social support can be formal or informal and includes emotional, personal and domestic support to individuals or groups. Informal social support is commonly provided by people close to the individual, such as friends, family and community. Formal social support refers to government and non-government services and programs. This section focuses on informal social support.
Older LGBTI people may receive social support from others, but also provide it in the form of volunteering or caring. According to the 2016 Census results, 7.7% of older partners in same-sex couples reported providing unpaid child care (to their own and/or other children) compared with 17% of older partners in opposite-sex couples. Just under 700 older partners in same-sex couples provided unpaid assistance to a person with disability (14%), similar to the proportion of older partners in opposite-sex couples (16%) (AIHW analysis of ABS 2016).
Housing and living arrangements
In 2016, most older partners in same-sex couples owned their house outright (70%, 3,300 people), with a further 17% (820 people) owning with a mortgage. Renting was less common (10%) (Table 2). In comparison, older partners in opposite-sex couples were more likely to own their house outright (76%), less likely to own their house with a mortgage (11%) and less likely to be renting (8%).
Table 2E.2: Tenure type of older partners by age group, 2016
|
|
Older same-sex couples (%)
|
Older opposite-sex couples (%)
|
|
|
65–69
|
70–74
|
75+
|
Total
|
65–69
|
70–74
|
75+
|
Total
|
|
Owned outright
|
66.3
|
74.4
|
73.5
|
69.5
|
71.7
|
78.0
|
78.5
|
75.8
|
|
Owned with mortgage
|
22.1
|
13.4
|
7.6
|
17.2
|
17.1
|
10.3
|
5.9
|
11.4
|
|
Rented
|
8.7
|
9.0
|
13.0
|
9.6
|
8.4
|
7.7
|
7.7
|
7.9
|
|
Other
|
1.3
|
1.3
|
1.7
|
1.7
|
1.3
|
2.1
|
4.1
|
2.5
|
|
Not stated
|
1.6
|
1.9
|
4.2
|
2.0
|
1.5
|
1.9
|
3.8
|
2.4
|
|
Total
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
Notes:
- 'Older partners' refers to people aged 65 and over.
- 'Other' includes being occupied rent-free, being occupied under a life tenure scheme, being purchased under a shared equity scheme and other tenure type.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2016.
A higher proportion of same-sex couples reported living in a separate house (69%), compared with townhouses (16%) and flats or apartments (14%) (Table 2E.3).
Table 2E.3: Dwelling structure of older partners in same-sex couples by age group, 2016
|
Type of dwelling
|
65–69
|
70–74
|
75+
|
Total
|
|
Separate house
|
69.3
|
69.0
|
71.6
|
69.0
|
|
Semi-detached, row or terrace house, townhouse
|
16.4
|
14.3
|
15.3
|
15.8
|
|
Flat or apartment
|
13.6
|
15.3
|
13.1
|
14.2
|
|
Other
|
0.8
|
1.5
|
0.0
|
0.9
|
|
Total
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
Notes:
- 'Older partners' refers to people aged 65 and over.
- 'Other' includes ‘not stated’.
Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2016.
Older LGBTI people may be more vulnerable to homelessness than the rest of the population. This may be due to discrimination and individual vulnerabilities because of family rejection, trauma and mental health problems (McNair and Andrews 2020). The risk of homelessness for some may be exacerbated by a lack of support from family (McNair and Andrews 2020). There is currently no available national information about this.
Employment and work
People in same-sex couples, overall, tend to be more highly educated and have higher labour force participation rates than people in opposite-sex couples (ABS 2018).
In 2016, around 1 in 4 older partners in same-sex couples (27%, 1,300 people) were in the labour force; that is, either employed or unemployed.
Of all older partners in same-sex couples (aged 65 and over):
- 73% were not in the labour force
- 26% were employed
- 0.9% were unemployed.
In comparison, 83% of partners in opposite-sex couples were not in the labour force, 17% were employed and 0.4% were unemployed (ABS 2018).
Over one-third (35%) of partners in same-sex couples aged 65–69 were in the labour force, and this declined with age (20% of those aged 70–74 and 12% of those 75 and over) (ABS 2018).
Income and finances
In 2016, older people in same-sex couples were more likely to earn higher incomes than people in opposite-sex couples, with 7.8% earning $2,000 or more per week compared with 3.6%, respectively. The majority of older partners in same-sex couples (89%) reported incomes of less than $2,000 per week which is similar to, but somewhat lower than, opposite-sex couples (92%) (Table 2E.4).
Table 2E.4: Older couple relationships by income and age group, 2016
|
|
Partners in same-sex couples
|
Partners in opposite-sex couples
|
|
|
Less than $2,000 per week
|
$2,000 or more per week
|
Total
|
Less than $2,000 per week
|
$2,000 or more per week
|
Total
|
|
Age group (years)
|
Number
|
|
65–69
|
2,344
|
248
|
2,631
|
665,115
|
36,646
|
722,477
|
|
70–74
|
1,132
|
75
|
1,252
|
483,269
|
17,120
|
520,334
|
|
75–79
|
479
|
32
|
537
|
322,598
|
8,526
|
348,972
|
|
80+
|
295
|
18
|
349
|
284,889
|
7,237
|
315,275
|
|
Total
|
4,250
|
373
|
4,769
|
1,755,871
|
69,529
|
1,907,058
|
|
|
%
|
|
65–69
|
89.1
|
9.4
|
100.0
|
92.1
|
5.1
|
100.0
|
|
70–74
|
90.4
|
6.0
|
100.0
|
92.9
|
3.3
|
100.0
|
|
75–79
|
89.2
|
6.0
|
100.0
|
92.4
|
2.4
|
100.0
|
|
80+
|
84.5
|
5.2
|
100.0
|
90.4
|
2.3
|
100.0
|
|
Total
|
89.1
|
7.8
|
100.0
|
92.1
|
3.6
|
100.0
|
Notes:
- 'Older couples' refers to people aged 65 and over.
- Total includes Income not stated.
- This table is based on place of enumeration.
Source: ABS 2018.
Where do I go for more information?
For more information on older Australians who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex see: