The importance of supporting LGBTIQA+ clients in family law

Imagine having your heart broken into a thousand pieces; your spouse of 15+ years tells you they are no longer in love with you and they’re out.

You’ve got 2 perfect kids together, aged 10 and 7, who are about to become the collateral to the 2 in 3 statistic, and you’re terrified of how you’ll cope financially, logistically and emotionally. A friend tells you to get your ducks in a row, “go see a lawyer.” So you do.

As you walk into the lawyer’s office, you feel sick because this makes it ‘real’. The lawyer walks into reception to greet you, and in the flicker of an unguarded facial expression, you know you’re not going to feel like they’re in your corner, supporting you through one of the toughest things you’ll ever go through because your kids have 2 mums.

The uncertainty that separation brings is felt the same regardless of your sexual orientation, be it lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ+) or heterosexual. Anyone in that difficult situation, regardless of sexual orientation, has the right to feel empowered through empathetic, sound legal advice. Arguably, LGBTIQ+ people deserve it more, as they’ve no doubt experienced some form of discrimination, prejudice, abuse, and/or exclusion in one or more facets of their life, and as a result, their trust in people and the system is understandably low.

Without legal support that is attuned to these unique challenges, LGBTIQ+ clients may face further marginalization. It is essential, both on a professional and, in my opinion, human level, that LGBTIQ+ clients have rapport, trust, and confidence in their legal advisors. The advice we give as Family Lawyers is only as accurate as the information provided, so it’s imperative LGBTIQ+ clients feel safe enough, psychologically, to share the inner workings of their relationship/family dynamics.

In essence, supporting LGBTIQA+ clients in the legal realm is not just about providing legal services; it’s about ensuring clients feel supported and empowered, regardless of which team you each bat for.