Promoting LGBTQ
Student Well-Being
Research shows that LGBTQ youth are disproportionately
bullied (whether in person or via cyberbullying),
verbally and physically harassed, and assaulted in
schools by peers and staff. Such hostility has been
correlated to lower school performance and psychological
and emotional distress, including suicidal ideation and
attempt, depression and anxiety.
In the 2015 GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight
Education Network) National School Climate Survey, LGB
students reported higher levels of verbal, physical and
sexual violence and bullying than did their heterosexual
counterparts. Specifically, 98.1 percent of LGB students
heard the word “gay” used in a derogatory manner, 85.2
percent reported verbal harassment, and 34.7 percent
reported being physically harassed in the past year. In
addition, a 2017 meta-analysis of 27 empirical
studies on the effects of cyberbullying on LGBTQ youth
revealed that compared with their heterosexual and
cisgender counterparts, these students are
disproportionately harassed online and through other
technology-based means. Such harassment has been
correlated to a range of behavioral and emotional
difficulties, including suicidal ideation (with some
studies suggesting rates as high as 40 percent among
LGBTQ youth) and suicide attempts (with rates as high as
30 percent).
Many LGBTQ students identify school counselors as the
one school staff member to whom they are most likely to
disclose concerns related to their sexual and gender
identity. Given this reality, school counselors are
uniquely positioned to address myths about LGBTQ youth,
to advocate for these students and to effect change.
[Source: Counseling Today / Abreu, McEachern, Hall,
Kenny / October 2018]
On the Job: LGBTQ People and Mental Health Issues
NAMI:
How Mental Health Conditions Affect LGBTQ Community
2018 Survey: LGBTQ Youth and Suicide
Scott Leibowitz Video: Health Promotion Strategies for
LGBTQ People
Family Doctor: LGBTQ Mental Health Issues
Info: Alcohol/Drug Abuse
Mental Help: Mental Health in the LGBTQ Community
Ethical Guidelines for Professionals Working With LGBTQ
Clients
Mental Health Issues Lesbian Women Cope With
Bolstering Resilience in LGBTQ Youth
Gay Man and His Psychologist
Video: Stress and Resilience in the LGBTQ Community
Counseling Today: Promoting LGBTQ Wellness
APA: LGBTQ Health Disparities
How Do
Mental Health Conditions Affect the LGBTQ Community?
Without mental health we cannot be healthy. We all
experience emotional ups and downs from time to time
caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions
go beyond these emotional reactions to specific
situations. They are medical conditions that cause
changes in how we think and feel and in our mood.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and
questioning (LGBTQ) community faces mental health
conditions just like the rest of the population.
However, you may experience more negative mental health
outcomes due to prejudice and other biases. Knowing what
challenges you may face as a member of the LGBTQ
community and how to find and work with LGBTQ-inclusive
providers can help ensure more positive outcomes.
LGBTQ individuals are almost 3 times more likely than
others to experience a mental health condition such as
major depression or generalized anxiety disorder. This
fear of coming out and being discriminated against for
sexual orientation and gender identities, can lead to
depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, thoughts of
suicide and substance abuse.
LGBTQ people must confront stigma and prejudice based on
their sexual orientation or gender identity while also
dealing with the societal bias against mental health
conditions. Some people report having to hide their
sexual orientation from those in the mental health
system for fear of being ridiculed or rejected. Some
hide their mental health conditions from their LGBTQ
friends.
As a community, LGBTQ individuals do not often talk
about mental health and may lack awareness about mental
health conditions. This sometimes prevents people from
seeking the treatment and support that they need to get
better.
[Source:
National Alliance on Mental Illness]
Mental Health America: LGBTQ Mental Health Notes
Info:
Reparative Therapy
What I Be:
Insecurities and Images
Mental Help: Mental Health in the LGBTQ Community
APA: Psychologist Guidelines for Working With LGBTQ
Clients
Jamie Feldman Video: Health Promotion Strategies for
LGBTQ People
Why is
the LGBTQ Community so Anxious?
Video: Sociocultural and Behavioral Detriments to LGBTQ
Health
Why is Depression More Prevalent in the LGBTQ Community?
Info:
Domestic Violence
LGBTQ Issues:
Counselor Ethics
Counseling Today: Promoting LGBTQ Wellness
High Rates
of Depression Among Rural LGBTQ
Population
LGBTQ Health
Report
The
Division of Gender, Sexuality & Health, at the New York
State Psychiatric Institute and the Columbia University
Department of Psychiatry, wrote this report regarding
LGBTQ health issues.
Background
Over the past decade, and especially in the past few
years, there have been sweeping changes in US society,
law, and public policy, including the following:
--In 2003, the Supreme Court invalidated all remaining
anti-sodomy laws in its ruling in Lawrence v. Texas.
--In 2004, individual states began adopting same-sex
marriage.
--In 2010, the “It Gets Better” online campaign was
launched, a signal of growing societal support for LGBTQ
youths, parents, and families. It now has over 50,000
videos and 50 million views on YouTube.
--In 2011, the federal government repealed the “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell" policy in the military and articulated
LGBTQ rights as a foreign policy goal.
--In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a
report on the health of LGBTQ people. Federal agencies
such as CDC, SAMHSA, and others have also highlighted
the issue.
--In 2012, marriage equality was endorsed by President
Obama, the Democratic Party’s platform, and a plurality
of poll respondents.
--In 2013, President Barack Obama, in his second
inaugural address, articulated equality for a LGBTQ
people as a priority area of his administration.
--In 2013, the Supreme Court allowed the restoration of
marriage equality in California and struck down the
provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that
prohibited the federal government from recognizing
married same-sex couples.
--In 2014, a range of challenges to state same-sex
marriage bans are being pursued and the federal
government continues to proactively implement the
Supreme Court's partial overturning of DOMA.
--In 2015,
the US Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage
nationwide.
Troubling
Statistics
Despite these advances, the health and mental health of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)
individuals has emerged as a major concern across the
nation. Numerous examples of stigmatization,
discrimination and health inequities have been
documented, including the following:
--Increased rate of suicide attempts and of homelessness
among LGBTQ youth (Estimates indicate that as many as
40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ).
--Decreased utilization by lesbians of preventive
services for cancer and increased risk factors and
elevated rates of cancer (Estimated relative risk of
invasive breast cancer among lesbians is 1.74).
--Higher risk of HIV and STDs among gay men, especially
in communities of color (From 2006-2009, gay men
accounted for 56-61% of all new HIV infections; MSM
13–29 represented more than 27% of all new HIV
infections; among MSM 13-29, HIV among black MSM was up
48%).
--High prevalence among transgender individuals of
HIV/STDs, victimization, mental health issues, and
suicidal ideation (41% of trans respondents reported
suicide attempt vs. 1.6% of the general population; 23%
were impacted by at least three major life-disrupting
events due to bias.)
--Barriers to health faced by elderly LGBTQ individuals
because of isolation, and lack of social services and
culturally competent providers (Older LGBTQ people are 2
times as likely to live alone; 1/3 plan to hide LGBTQ
status if in long-term care).
Higher rates of mental health morbidities and tobacco,
alcohol, other drug use (Alcohol abuse and smoking are
more than 2 times greater among LGBTQ people).
--A significant proportion of people with serious mental
illness (SMI) in the US are LGBTQ (Estimates suggest
that about 720,000, or about 4% of people with SMI, are
LGBTQ).
At the same time, new areas of concern are also emerging
across the lifespan, such as:
--children "coming out" at ever-younger ages.
--schools trying to tackle the problem of bullying.
--early medical interventions becoming available for
transgender youth.
--new family dynamics emerging among same-sex couples
who are legally married and/or who are raising children.
--the first large cohort of openly LGBTQ people becoming
senior citizens.
These are
no longer merely potential or emerging issues with
regard to mental and physical health. Rather, they are
immediate and pressing needs demanding focused efforts
in research, clinical practice, education, and public
policy. Yet far too few LGBTQ individuals, particularly
from within poor and marginalized communities have
access to the quality services they need. Through the
LGBTQ Health Initiative, we aim to address these and
many other related issues.
Unique Strengths of LGBTQ Community
HHS: LGBTQ Health and Wellbeing
HRC: Healthcare
Equality Index 2018
Guide: Depression and Anxiety in LGBTQ People
Gay Man and His Psychologist
Ethical Guidelines for Professionals Working With LGBTQ
Clients
US Health & Human Services Reports: LGBTQ Health and
Wellbeing
Info: Addiction
and Recovery
Foundation for Better Understanding: The
Health of LGBTQ People
Huff Post: LGBTQ Wellness
Video: Sociocultural and Behavioral Detriments to LGBTQ
Health
LGBTQ Wellness
Notes: Risk Factors
Some of the health concerns and risk factors that are
relevant to LBGTQ individuals may be shared by the
general population, while others are more specific to
the LGBTQ community, and still others are specific to
different subgroups of LGBTQ individuals. These health
concerns may be grouped into the following areas of
concern:
Sexual behavior issues: STDs such as human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis A virus (HAV),
hepatitis B virus (HBV), bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea,
chlamydia, and genital warts (human papillomavirus or
HPV); anal, ovarian, and cervical cancer.
Cultural issues: body image, nutrition, weight, and
eating disorders; drug and alcohol abuse; tobacco use;
parenting and family planning.
Discrimination issues: inadequate medical care;
harassment at work, school, or home; difficulty in
obtaining housing, insurance coverage, or child custody;
violence.
Sexual identity issues: conflicts with family, friends,
and work mates; psychological issues such as anxiety,
depression, and suicide; economic hardship.
Unique Strengths of LGBTQ Community
Guide: Depression and Anxiety in LGBTQ People
BBC Video: LGBTQ People and Mental Health Problems
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
US Health & Human Services Reports: LGBTQ Health and
Wellbeing
Foundation for Better Understanding: The
Health of LGBTQ People
Why is Depression More Prevalent in the LGBTQ Community?
Video: Sociocultural and Behavioral Detriments to LGBTQ
Health
On the Job: LGBTQ People and Mental Health Issues
NAMI:
How Mental Health Conditions Affect LGBTQ Community
What I Be:
Insecurities and Images
Mental Help: Mental Health in the LGBTQ Community
High Rates
of Depression Among Rural LGBTQ
Population
LGBTQ Issues: Counselor Ethics
Unique Strengths of the LGBTQ
Community
In the face of
oppression, minority groups develop unique LGBTQ
strengths and character traits.
It sometimes feels like
every day brings with it a new study about minority
stress, reports about public policy that neglects or
harms LGBTQ Americans, or a news item about the horrific
treatment of transgender people in the workplace. And
while it’s hugely important to identify and discuss the
microaggressions and overt discrimination that all LGBTQ
people face, this continued emphasis on the negative
aspects of being an LGBTQ individual is ultimately an
incomplete picture of what it means to be queer these
days and can lead to self-perpetuating patterns of
defeatism.
The persistence that’s
been required of the LGBTQ community in the face of
continued oppression has actually given way to a unique
set of strengths. While our backgrounds are as distinct
and varied as our personalities, LGBTQ individuals are
strong, creative, funny, interesting, and above all,
resilient. Research shows that for the queer community,
what doesn’t kill us really does make us stronger.
We’re Socially
Intelligent
Studies show that LGBTQ
people tend to possess high levels of social
intelligence and the skills related to perceiving and
using emotional information to make decisions in social
interactions. LGBTQ people have the ability to get along
with others, get them to cooperate with you, and
successfully navigate complex interpersonal
interactions.
Researchers suggest that
the experience of being a sexual or gender minority
actually fosters social and emotional intelligence. For
example, it was found that bisexual people are more
capable of modifying their behavior to address unique
situations and problems compared to both their
heterosexual and homosexual counterparts — a trait that
researchers describe as “cognitive flexibility.” Another
study found that trans men and women had high levels of
social intelligence, based on insights into what it
means to experience life beyond the gender binary.
Because LGBTQ individuals
are statistically more likely to be minorities in group
settings, they learn to modify their behaviors and
reactions in order to minimize aggression or suspicion
from their peers. This generally results in the ability
to “read a room” and evaluate the “correct” social
responses. And while these motivations are symptoms of
an insidious, culturally enforced intolerance, they’ve
given way to an adaptive social skill set that
cisgendered heterosexual people are less likely to
possess.
We’re Courageous
Research shows that,
because LGBTQ individuals are essentially required to
cope with near-constant minority stress, bravery is
likely to be an LGBTQ strength. In a culture where
threats of physical violence, job discrimination, social
exclusion, and political inequality are condoned by the
federal government, the LGBTQ community encounter
near-constant risks that their heterosexual counterparts
rarely face. The process of coming out and confronting
heteronormativity on a daily basis requires bravery on a
daily basis.
We’re Empathetic
When surveyed, LGBTQ
people indicate that the process of coming out involves
a tremendous amount of personal insight and reflection —
exercises that ultimately improved their ability to
empathize with others. This self-reinforcing chain
positively reclaims power for individuals and reinforces
good stereotypes while disrupting negative ones. LGBTQ
people transform reactions to institutionalized
oppression and stigmatization into empathy and social
activism.
We’re Authentic
LGBTQ people feel less
pressure to conform to societally defined roles and
narratives like getting married or having children on a
certain timeline — or at all. Other themes included
freedom from gender-specific roles within relationships
or society at large, freedom to explore sexuality and
relationships, and freedom to enjoy egalitarian
relationships, which all lead to authenticity being a
particular LGBTQ strength. One lesbian explained that
being lesbian allows us to choose to have children and
how to raise children in ways not claimed by straight
women. One gay man noted that there is less pressure on
gay men to have children and, as such, the decision for
a gay man to have or not to have children may involve a
healthier process.
We’re Resilient
On a daily basis, LGBTQ
people are faced with oppression from political and
social forces and have to find construction ways to
cope. When LGBTQ individuals are actively involved as
change agents they are better insulated against the
damage wrought by anti-LGBTQ politics and legislation.
Becoming involved enhances individuals’ ability to cope
and builds resilience for the future. Nearly three
quarters of LGBTQ individuals demonstrated at least one
of five “resilience factors” that helped them in coping
with adversity, including social support, connection
with the LGBTQ community, emotional coping,
self-acceptance, and positive reframing.
Because LGBTQ individuals
are more likely to face identity-related discrimination
and accompanying emotional hardships than their straight
counterparts, they often have no choice but to develop
resilience. This breeds a unique strength of character
that is not so ubiquitously present in majority groups.
We’re Highly Creative
The experiences of LGBTQ
individuals have not only necessitated heightened social
awareness and resilience, but creativity in how queer
people choose to craft their own stories and invent
themselves. Without established narratives against which
to chart their experiences, members of the LGBTQ
community have been liberated to form tight-knit social
circles, families of choice, and safe spaces that
celebrate shared identity traits. Creativity is largely
seen as an LGBTQ strength, and there is quite a bit of
evidence to support that LGBTQ people tend to be
creative.
Focusing on the Positive
It’s imperative that
research into the LGBTQ experience look beyond the
negative aspects of belonging to a sexual or gender
minority group. Ultimately, only looking at the
hardships we face ignores the incredible things we’ve
built despite those hardships. And while raising
awareness into the realities of both the systemic and
social discrimination that we face on a daily basis is
necessary, so too is examining the ways in which our
community has persevered and grown.
Equipped with empathy,
resilience, strength of character, and a tight-knit
community support system, there’s no telling what we’ve
yet to accomplish.
[Source: Lighthouse 2018, Michelle D. Vaughan & Eric M. Rodriguez 2014, Julie Konik & Mary Crawford 2014, Laura Brown 1989]
Indya Moore Offers Delightful Daily Affirmations
Unique Strengths of LGBTQ Community
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
Stress and Resilience in the LGBTQ Community
What I Be:
Insecurities and Images
Alyson Stoner: Wellness and Self Love
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