Homelessness services must strive to understand and support nuanced identities
RIS ID
137888
Link to publisher version (URL)
Abstract
My identity is made up of different identifiers. I identify as being male, was perceived as effeminate when young, and grew up in public housing in western Sydney with my iTaukei (indigenous) Fijian father and Anglo Australian mother. I was brought up in a relatively conservative Christian family, and now I have much more progressive leanings to life. I also identify as being able bodied, healthy but considered overweight, a person of colour, bisexual, separated from my marriage to a woman and a father to a child. As you may see, my identity is broad and complex. Even I strive to make sense of where I fit into mainstream society in the past, present, and anticipated future. As a result, I believe society continues to silo categories of diversity as separate matters. In a society obsessed with how well you do based on your financial position, it's important to acknowledge that we are not just our socio-economic status. I believe we need to create youth homelessness services that reflect these complex realities on intersecting identities.
Publication Details
J. Ravulo 2019 Homelessness services must strive to understand and support nuanced identities Archer http://archermagazine.com.au/2019/07/homelessness-services-must-strive-to-understand-and-support-nuanced-identities/