07/06/2024
No doubt you are aware it is Pride month at the moment.
I also expect you are aware of at least some of the stresses and strains that the LGBT+ community face, and how these might have an impact on their mental health.
Rethink Mental Illness have some sobering information on this, including that:
LGBT+ people are at more risk of suicidal behaviour and self-harm than non-LGBT+ people.
Gay and bisexual men are 4 times more likely to attempt su***de across their lifetime than the rest of the population.
LGBT+ people are 1½ times more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorder compared to the rest of the population.
A recent study noted that 7 in 10 trans people had experienced depression in the previous year and half had thought of ending their life.
Another survey noted that le***an and bisexual women have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and self-harm compared to women in general.
The same site has a brief summery of other issues affecting the mental health of those within the LGBT+ community, including: access to (and delivery of) healthcare, stigma, bullying, discrimination, self-harm, isolation from communities of care...
I don't know most of you well enough to know where you stand on these things, but I suspect there is some complexity.
I do a lot of work with people in faith communities who have been on interesting journeys, as their own theology and perspective has been challenged and sometimes changed by personal reflection, relationships or questions about their own identity. But it's not just people of faith who would benefit from deeper reflection on the issue.
It's no secret that in recent-enough history the majority opinion would have been "gay = bad". I'm in my early 50s, and remember seeing (and, to my shame participating in) homophobic name-calling, bullying and 'othering' at school and even in various workplaces. You can find orientation-based abuse on X and other social media platforms all-too-easily, and the ongoing debate about trans identity is often fueled by bigoted worldviews that cause people real pain, or worse.
I'm not sure what to suggest really.
My hope is that you are someone who errs on the side of compassion, love and respect. My desire is to live in a world where gender, sexuality, nationality, faith, and other descriptors are no longer used as weapons of separation and abuse.
If this is authentic to you, one simple, tiny but perhaps effective and certainly hope-filled thing you can do this Pride month is take time to publicly (when it is safe to do) out yourself - as an ally and/or member of the LGBT+ community. The BBC has 10 suggestions if you are stuck for ideas.
https://mailchi.mp/bcbc794ce1f5/sitting-to-long-and-other-things-to-ignore-16199104
