Victoria's Gender and Sexuality Commissioner Rowena Allen has returned to Wodonga to gather insight for Victoria's "first whole of government LGBTI strategy".
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The commissioner first visited for the opening of Gateway Health's Gender Service in 2017 and has returned twice for regional consultation programs.
"This region's always had a great showing in LGBTIQ support, particularly for young people," Rowena said.
"We had all the right people in the room today.
"Some of the themes are around funding, education, and access to GPs and supportive service providers."
Way Out Wodonga project worker Olivia Noto, one of about 40 people who attended the workshop at Quest Wodonga on Thursday, said it was great to see a variety of people present.
"In regional and rural communities there is this added burden that in particular young people carry, around stigma and isolation," she said.
"Support services are few and far between and they can be hard to get to.
"The Gender Service is going really well, and parents of young transgender people say it is a lifeline and so absolutely necessary.
"Unfortunately, in terms of funding it has been a hard slog to get sustainable, long-term funding and that continues." Aaron Perkins-Kemp-Berger hoped the Victorian strategy "would be done right".
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"I'm from an era where it was all hidden, and I'm happy it's more acceptable to a certain point - but it's not 100 per cent yet," he said.
Indigo mayor Bernard Gaffney shared feedback he received through the inaugural Rainbow Ball in February that was facilitated by his council.
"Local government should be supporting the LGBTIQ community," he said.
"With the surrounding councils we want to grow that event into something even bigger."
The commissioner said the Rainbow Ball was an outstanding achievement for the region.
"That's incredibly important, because it is a long way to go from Wodonga to Melbourne for the minus 18 ball," Rowena said.
"I met two young women who had come up to the ball from Benalla, so it's had great regional coverage, and they said that was life changing for them.
"It's so important rural young people feel like there's a place for them."
The commissioner also encouraged Border LGBTIQ people to tell their stories to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
"We do know many LGBTIQ people are having a fabulous fulfilling life, but they are also over-represented in self harm and suicide rates," Rowena said.
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