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accessHealthNews.net
August 2023
Volume 9 | Issue No. 73
P
ride Month may be over, but its tenets are relevant
year round. Since its creation following the 1969
Stonewall Uprising, Pride Month has served as both a time
of celebration for LGBTQ+ people as well as a reminder
of the advocacy work left to be done. Pride, held each
June, offers a safe space for LGBTQ+ people to be their
authentic selves while being uplifted by a community of
peers and allies. It also provides a crucial opportunity to
raise awareness of challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people
and educate allies on creating more safe spaces year-
round.
For LGBTQ+ youth, Pride can offer a moment of relief,
providing access to information, support, and community
that may not otherwise be available or accepted.
According to The Trevor Project, the world's largest
provider of LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention, advocacy,
and support, LGBTQ+ youth are prone to suicide — not
because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but
because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized due
to these factors.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Communities, a recent
webinar hosted by Mental Health America (MHA), explored
the mental health challenges LGBTQ+ youth face and how
communities can actively improve these concerns with
identity-affirming support. The webinar included panelists
who are members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community and
have a wide range of expertise researching, navigating,
and championing efforts to improve mental health among
LGBTQ+ youth.
Panelist Cyn Gomez, a first-generation bisexual and
transgender person, has found both in his personal
experiences and in his advocacy work that peer-to-peer
support is a primary need for LGBTQ+ youth. Young people
who are exploring their identity need support networks that
include other people who can relate to their experiences
specifically regarding age, community, political climate,
familial and societal culture, and religion.
For panelist Casey Pick from The Trevor Project, Pride has
been a "beacon of light" in dark places, offering refuge
to alienated youth looking for support and to new allies
wanting an opportunity to step up. Pick avoided church
for a long and difficult period following the loss of a parent,
feeling as though it couldn't provide the comfort she
sought. However, when she was able to take communion
at a booth during a Pride event, she felt the celebration
become personal. "That felt like all of me was there and
being invited to it," she said.
All panelists, despite their varied personal experiences,
agree that the first step to improving mental health in
LGBTQ+ youth is to create a network of identity-affirming
support around young people that extends beyond Pride.
This network includes family, friends, school administration,
health care providers, and other community members.
Everyone in these networks is encouraged to actively
educate themselves on LGBTQ+ issues and resources to
help navigate questions and challenges that may arise as
a child explores their identity.
Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Youth
Every year, The Trevor Project surveys more than 30,000
young people on a wide range of mental health related
questions. Among the 82% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted
mental health care in the past year, 60% were not able to
receive it. The top ten reasons LGBTQ+ youth who wanted
mental health care but did not get it are:
• Fear of discussing mental health concerns (48%).
• Concerns with obtaining parent/caregiver permission
(45%).
• Fear of not being taken seriously (43%).
• Lack of affordability (41%).
• Fear of care not working (34%).
• Fear of being outed (29%).
• Fear of identity being misunderstood (26%).
• Concerns with receiving virtual care at home (23%).
• Lack of transportation options (21%).
• Lack of parent/caregiver permission (20%).
Crises can be
compounded if someone
is triggered while they're
seeking crucial support.
Misgendering someone
or asking patients to
identify as male or female
on an intake form can
appear as a bias, even
if unintentional, and
steer patients away from
seeking further support.
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