Malloy

Malloy is an 84 yo lesbian from Adelaide who is passionate about building LGBTI inclusive aged care services. Malloy draws on her experiences of sexuality based discrimination in aged care – and 6 years of attempted ‘conversion therapies’ in her twenties. Malloy’s project includes:

1. The Rainbow Makers resource
2. You are welcome here poster
3. Hold hands on a tram story
4. Fellowship with the Elder Leadership Academy.

Malloy worked with Alice’s Garage to produce a narrative based resource on LGBTI cultural safety for older people. In 2018, Malloy and her team of Rainbow Makers launched the resource at the Embolden2018 Festival in Melbourne. We are grateful to the National LGBTI Health Alliance’s Silver Rainbow project for supporting the graphic design and printing of the resource. We love that some of Malloy’s team of supporters were on stage at Embolden2018 for the launch of the resource (see photos below). You can download a copy of the resource by clicking the link here: The Rainbow Makers Resource

Cover of the Rainbow Makers resource

We had a wonderful meeting with older LGBTI people and service providers in Adelaide in October 2018 to celebrate the launch of the Rainbow Makers resource on Malloy’s home turf. We love that this resource will help to build the confidence of older LGBTI people in knowing there are support and advocacy services out there to help them.

In 2017, Malloy presented her experience of discrimination by an aged care service, to a panel at the National LGBTI Health Alliance’s Health in Difference Conference in Sydney. After the conference we asked delegates to join Malloy for a photo, to provide Malloy with a reminder that she is loved. The photograph was so powerful that the Alliance have used it on a poster welcoming older LGBTI people into aged care service (see below). You can order a copy of the poster from the Alliance by clicking the link here.

Malloy holding a copy of the poster

In 2017 Malloy shared her story as part of a project called Hold Hands on a Tram. The project explored lesbian history and resistance. Malloy shared her story with Laine Sainty in an article for Buzz Feed – you can read the article by clicking the link here.

In October 2018 Malloy was made a Fellow of the Elder Leadership Academy in recognition of her work – outlined on this page. In particular, Malloy co-produced the Rainbow Makers resource and continues to share her messages to LGBTIQ community members about Finding Strong. As part of her Fellowship Malloy has delivered a number of Plenary presentations at conference and workshops including the following:

1. LGBTI Health Alliance’s Health in Difference Conference (Sydney 2017)
2. Embolden2018 Festival (Melbourne 2018)
3. LGBTI Cultural Safety workshop (Melbourne 2018) 
4. Rainbow Makers workshop and launch (Adelaide 2018)
5. Rock the Boat Elder Abuse Awareness Conference (Brisbane 2019)
6. You, me, us. Embolden2019 Festival (Melbourne 2019)
7. Val’s LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Conference (Melbourne 2019).