Celebrating Pride Month: Honouring progress and prioritizing mental health
- Jasmine P.
- Jun 21, 2021
- 5 min read
During the month of June, communities and allies across Canada celebrate Pride Month. Awareness events and celebrations attract people from all over the globe to participate in acknowledging a positive stance against discrimination and violence, promoting the self-affirmation, dignity, equal rights, and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. Although events look a little different year due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we continue to celebrate the month by honouring diversity. We acknowledge the history behind it, the hardships the LGBTQIA+ community has had to endure and recognizing the progress made.
Although it might seem strange to talk about mental health during this month of celebration, joy and empowerment, it's important to recognize that this time can also be a very emotionally charged and challenging for many people as they confront ongoing discrimination, systemic oppression and barriers that continue to impact our community. This Pride Month, while we celebrated the collective history and identities of LGBTQIA+ peoples, we should also the time to prioritize our peers and loved ones’ mental health by acknowledging the health discrepancies and injustices that may exist in the ability for LGBTQIA+ individuals to seek the same level of healthcare and mental health support as the rest of society is entitled to.
Why is mental health an issue in the LGBTQIA+ community?
LGBTQIA+ individuals have been fighting to gain acceptance and fit in to their communities for years, and despite the progress and advances we have made as a society, in some areas they are forced to continue to do so. The community has shown time and time again, to be incredibly resilient with the ability to thrive in the face of adversity. Their resilience and the support of allies have helped the community establish equal rights and visibility today, which is incredibly inspiring and something to celebrate. However, social pressures, negative attitudes and discrimination can contribute to the cycle that we are working so hard to break, because not only does it take away from the right to live freely and identify as you are, but it directly impacts mental health. We continue to remind families, caregivers and peers that your support in accepting your loved one’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression directly impacts their mental health, wellness and personal safety.
Unfortunately, members of the LGBTQIA+ community continue to face discrimination due to pervasive stigma, which can make it incredibly difficult to seek quality treatment for mood disorders and mental health concerns. Added negative attitudes from their loved ones makes it even less likely that LGBTQIA+ individuals will seek professional help for various health concerns, including mood disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse disorders due to fear of rejection and discrimination. This can make targeting mental health issues and personal wellbeing concerns incredibly difficult, and is the reason for the discrepancies in the mental health statistics between the LGBTQIA+ community and the general population. Promoting a supportive, understanding and encouraging environment in our interpersonal relationships and within our communities is the first step to targeting these mental health disparities.
Mental health barriers in the LGBTQIA+ community
The mental health struggles faced by the LGBTQIA+ community are triple of the average, with LGBTQIA+ youth being 4 times more likely to self-harm or attempt suicide. Stats show that they are also about 2.5 times more likely to struggle with depression, anxiety and substance misuse.
Common barriers to treatment for the community stem from not all mental health professionals being able to understand their experiences, which makes it less likely for them to seek help when they need it most. There continues to be a pervasive problem of lack of culturally competent treatment as well, which misses out on addressing the complexity of unique issues related to sexuality and gender identity in relation to mental wellbeing. In the mid-1900s, many psychiatrists believed that homosexuality was a mental illness, which is absolutely false. However, this led to a lack of research in addressing mental health concerns within the LGBTQIA+ community. Since then, we have made significant progress due to the highly positive and accepting attitudes from today’s therapists and psychiatrists towards LGBTQIA+ individuals, with numerous support systems now available for gender and sexually diverse individuals. However, it is essential that we continue to support one another as allies, peers, family and caregivers, since there are still many in this community that face unequal care due to lack of understanding/training.
As we as a society work to overcome these barriers, we continue to remind everyone to foster a caring and patient environment around your peers and loved ones, as it can be just what they need to help battle issues surrounding their mental health and wellbeing. Especially during restrictive and stressful times during the COVID-19 pandemic, kindness and support can go a long way.
Available resources and services
Whether you chose to celebrate the month alone or with others, we encourage you to reflect on the struggles of those that have come before you. If you are struggling, we remind you that you are not alone. There are many programs willing to help at any time, you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out and seek support; a few links and descriptions of available options are listed below. For McMaster University students, the Wellness Centre located in the Peter George Centre for Learning and Living offers a variety of counselling services, and support resources.
Resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies:
Active Minds empowers students to change the perception about mental health on college campuses.
LGBTQ Student Resource Within this guide, LGBTQ students can learn about the resources and support systems available to them to assist in navigating both high school and college environments, which can often be the toughest of times.
A comprehensive, research-based awareness guide on a niche that is often overlooked – addiction in the LGBTQ community. Finding help with substance abuse is often more difficult for LGBTQ people, as many other obstacles are prevalent along with the fight with addiction – this awesome resource helps alleviate that stress by facilitating help in the form of useful information and support systems.
NEDA Eating Disorders in LGBT Eating disorders have historically been associated with straight, young, white females, but in reality, they affect people from all demographics and they are not caused by any single factor. They arise from a combination of long-standing behavioural, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Improve the health, safety, and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals.
Trevor Project trained counsellors are here to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk and chat.
Youth Line offers confidential and non-judgemental peer support through our telephone, text and chat services. Get in touch with a peer support volunteer from Sunday to Friday, 4:00PM to 9:30 PM.
For more information about available resources and services check out The Lifeline Canada Foundation by clicking here.
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