Biological Sex, Gender and Mental Wellbeing

Women's mental health and wellbeing is finally being recognised as a specific area of study and need within mental health more broadly. A growing body of literature and evidence has identified a complex interaction of biological, psychological, social and environmental determinants of mental health and wellbeing for women (as well as transgender women, non-binary and female-identifying people).

In the words of the World Health Organisation, 'wellbeing programs and interventions need to be gender responsive (and we would argue gender transformative) to be successful'.

Women's Health in the South East (WHISE) is committed to using these insights to develop and explore how, as a region, we can work as a collective to strengthen efforts for innovative gender-transformative mental wellbeing policies, programs and interventions.

WHISE is pleased to offer a free forum on biological sex, gender and mental wellbeing, designed specifically for those who sit in roles in health promotion, health planning, programming and policy. It represents the very first event under this new portfolio area for WHISE.

We are delighted to be joined by the HER Centre Australia, leaders in education, research, and public advocacy in women's mental health.

Join us as we explore the biological determinants of women's wellbeing across the lifespan, including but not limited to menstruation, pregnancy, birth and menopause, as well as the social determinants which centre around the impacts of gender inequality, including socioeconomic challenges, experiencing violence and homelessness.

At the end of this session, you will have an increased understanding of:

• What mental health promotion is
• The biological determinants of women’s mental health
• The social determinants of women’s mental health / barriers to achieving optimum mental health and wellbeing
• The gendered mental health and wellbeing gap (services/research etc.)
• Gender transformative practice and why it is important

Please join us on our mission to optimise mental wellbeing in our community/ region.

For more information please contact:

Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, Zoe Francis via email: zfrancis@whise.org.au