“I think a lot of spaces like that would be probably lacking”: trans poetics and the built environment of a South Australian mental health network

Background: Too often approaches to the inclusion of trans people in mental health services fail to consider how the built environment impacts on sense of safety and being welcome within the space. Trans poetics offers a framework for thinking about how we might turn thought into action in terms of the holistic inclusion of trans people within mental health services. Aims: The project reported in this article informs a broader implementation plan to ensure LGBTQ+ inclusion within a South Australian network of mental health services (‘the Network’). Trans people were identified as a group requiring purposive attention. Method: Ethnographic observations were undertaken across 13 of the Network sites in 2025. Side-by-side ethnographic walkthroughs were undertaken with 16 trans participants, each at one of the 13 sites, and these same participants were also interviewed about their views of the site that they attended. The data were examined through the lens of algorithmic analysis and the generation of I Poems. Results: Across the 13 sites, there was considerable diversity in terms of trans inclusion. Sites ranged from those viewed as uniformly positive, those viewed as neutral but not necessarily safe, and those viewed as lacking clear guidance and trans-inclusive approaches. Conclusions: The article concludes by providing recommendations for how the mental health services examined in this article could consider engaging in the implementation of comprehensive changes to the built environment to ensure the inclusion of trans people.