The overlap between the LGBTQ+ community and people who struggle with mental health is alarmingly large. LGBTQ+ people are almost three times more likely than others to deal with depression or anxiety, and on top of that, they’re at a much higher risk for suicide. It’s not crazy to assume that some of this comes from prejudice, stigma, and a lack of support from the people around them. So what do we do about it? First things first: Learn to be better allies.
Being an ally of a marginalized community will never be as difficult as being part of the community itself, but it does come with its own set of challenges. How do you empathize with your trans friend, for example, if you can’t even begin to relate to what they’re going through? That’s what we wanted to find out, so we asked seven experts about the one thing they wish more people knew about supporting LGBTQ+ friends and family.
The overlap between the LGBTQ+ community and people who struggle with mental health is alarmingly large. LGBTQ+ people are almost three times more likely than others to deal with depression or anxiety, and on top of that, they’re at a much higher risk for suicide. It’s not crazy to assume that some of this comes from prejudice, stigma, and a lack of support from the people around them. So what do we do about it? First things first: Learn to be better allies.
Being an ally of a marginalized community will never be as difficult as being part of the community itself, but it does come with its own set of challenges. How do you empathize with your trans friend, for example, if you can’t even begin to relate to what they’re going through? That’s what we wanted to find out, so we asked seven experts about the one thing they wish more people knew about supporting LGBTQ+ friends and family.