From the beginning, ACON has been shaped by the work, strength and leadership of LGBTQ+ women. But like in many areas of public life, the needs of women, especially lesbian, bisexual, queer and trans women, were often ignored in health policy, service design and community planning.

That began to change in the 1990s when ACON started including women in HIV prevention messaging, particularly those who injected drugs or had sex with men who also had sex with men. In the 2000s, ACON launched a dedicated Women’s Health Project, helping shift the focus toward the specific health needs of LGBTQ+ women. This included work in areas such as mental health, sexual health, and family and domestic violence.

ACON’s work has since expanded to include broader cancer awareness, with a strong focus on breast and cervical screening, and the impact of alcohol on cancer risk. Community led education and campaigns have been key in raising awareness around alcohol’s role in increasing the risk of a range of cancers, including breast, liver, bowel and oesophageal cancers, and making sure LGBTQ+ women are not left out of public health conversations.

These efforts sit alongside ACON’s broader work in harm reduction, peer education and inclusive service delivery, grounded in the lived experiences of the communities it serves.

Inclusion in health systems is no longer a request, it is a requirement. But there is still more to be done. Trans women continue to face significant health disparities, and bi+ women often remain overlooked or misunderstood. ACON’s approach keeps evolving to meet these needs, with services that are community informed and culturally safe.

As we mark 40 years, we recognise the generations of LGBTQ+ women who pushed for visibility, built networks of care and demanded space in movements that did not always see them. Their legacy lives on in every support group, training session, research project and shared story. The future of LGBTQ+ women’s health is one of strength, solidarity and leadership, and ACON is proud to walk alongside them.

To learn more, visit acon.org.au/women.