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Gender, Sexuality and the Effects on Mental Health

Lindsay Lajoie, Senior At UHD

Psychology Major and Gender Studies Minor

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Finding your true self: My Personal Story

The early years
LGBTQ wasn’t talked about
Minimal LGBTQ Role Models
Coming out after Highschool

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Sexual Orientation

Gender Identity

Societal Norm

What Makes us LGBTQ+?

According to Mental Health America, “Sexual orientation is who you are romantically or physically attracted to. Gender identity is the internal sense of being male, female, both or neither, which is separate from your biological sex.” Everyone knows the “societal norm” that follows gender identity and sexuality as being your birth sex, and opposite gender attraction. When an individual doesn’t fit the societal norm for gender identity or sexuality this is what is considered part of LGBTQ+ - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning + society. “In a heteronormative culture — a culture in which heterosexuality is the default and the norm — LGBTQ individuals often endure shame and stigma. Around 80% of people globally consider themselves Heterosexual, leaving another 20% apart of the LGBTQ community in some form.

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Stigma and Discrimination

Physical Bullying
Emotional Bullying
Verbal Bullying
Cyber bullying
Microaggressions
Harassment
Being Misgendered
Being disowned by family or friends
Being dead named

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Stigma and Discrimination History

In 1952 The American Psychiatric Association listed as a “Sociopathic personality disturbance”

In 1968 it was recategorized as a form of “Sexual Deviation”

In 1973 the Classification of homosexuality as a mental illness was removed

In 1970’s the stigma continued during the Aids Epidemic

The stigma and discrimination LGBTQ+ community members face dates back many years, however it was at a particular high in the 1970’s during the AIDS epidemic, when it was publicly and falsely told that only gay men could cause and get AIDS. This causes a “dirty” stigma around gay men in particular. Religion holds another strong stigma and discrimination against all LGBTQ+ identifying individuals, because they believe it is against God's wishes. Once being LGBTQ was even deemed a mental illness in and of itself, and the stigma and discrimination that go along with it have seemed to stay. “The American Psychiatric Association listed it as a “sociopathic personality disturbance” in 1952. In 1968, it was recategorized as a form of “sexual deviation.” The classification of homosexuality as a mental illness was finally removed in 1973, but the stigma continued.”

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Stigma and Discrimination Effects on Mental Health

8 times more likely to commit suicide
6 times more likely to report high levels of depression
3 times more likely to use illegal drugs
3 times more likely to have risky sex

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LGBTQ+ individuals struggle with stigma and discrimination negatively affects their mental health in comparison to their heteronormative peers.

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Methods and Limitations

Female > Male Representation
LGBTQ+ representation vs Heteronormative
Family history of mental health
Race Ratio

Random
Survey
Volunteer

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Research

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Sexuality

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Forms of Stigma and Discrimination

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Mental Health Diagnosis

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Self-Harm

In an effort to deal with mental health diagnosises both offical and non offical, many take part in Self-harm which is an intentional form of harm to ones self, without the intention of Suicide. For the sake of the research I used 12 of the most common forms of self harm and also left the option for one to write in their own form of self harm that may not have been listed. Both cutting oneself and picking or scratching oneself, were tied at 20 participants stating they have participated in the act one or more times. Other forms of self harm listed included misusing substances, pulling hair, having unsafe sex, exercising excessively and many more. 4 out of 17- .23% heterosexual, cis participants did not participant some form of self harm, where as 7 out of 36 .19% LGBTQ+ participants did not experience some form of self harm. Thus it is found that LGBTQ+ individuals show more likely hood of participating in some form of Self-Harm.

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Therapy

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Suicide

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Coming Out And Support

Further research could be done on the following topics and their effects on LGBTQ+ comfortability, and mental health overall. Over 50% of the participants both LGBTQ and Heterosexual found that their parental figures were supportive of their gender identity and sexuality, the rest of the participants answered a variety of ways including that at first they were not supportive but now are, or that some pretend to be supportive, but aren’t or that they pretend they never came out at all. Others stated that they never came out, or that it was not applicable, due to being heteronormative and not needing to come out. Also not surprising it was found that majority of the participants did not have LGBTQ+ role models growing up. It was also asked if the participants felt that they had a good support system growing up, of the LGBTQ+ individuals that have not come out 4 said they did not have a good support system growing up, 6 said maybe they do, and 3 said yes they do feel supported.

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How did Stigma and Discrimination Affect Mental Health

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Final Thoughts

Stigma and Discrimination are associated with Negative Mental health
LGBTQ+ Individuals were more likely to have a formal mental health diagnosis
LGBTQ+ Individuals were more likely to have been formally diagnosed with Depression
LGBTQ+ Individuals were more likely to Self-Harm
LGBTQ+ Individuals receive more stigma and discrimination based on their Gender and Sexuality

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Citations

Meyer I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674

Unknown. LGBTQ+ Communities and Mental Health. Mental Health America.

https://mhanational.org/issues/lgbtq-communities-and-mental-health

Unknown.(2016). Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health: Stigma and Discrimination. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/stigma-and-discrimination.htm

Mallenbaum, Murray and Ackermann. (2022). The History of Gqueer Stigma-And how it affects the community’s mental health today. The Skimm.

https://www.theskimm.com/pride/history-gay-lgbtq-queer-stigma-mental-health

Mark Messih. (2018). Mental Health Facts for Gay Population. American Psychiatric Association.

https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Gay-Populations.pdf

Leann Bentley. (2021). Why does the LGBTQIA+ community suffer from poor mental health at higher rates. University of Utah Health.

https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2021/07/lgbtqia_mental_health.php

Hannah Parker. (2021). LGBTQ teens face added stress from discrimintation, study finds. WTOP News.

https://wtop.com/health-fitness/2021/08/local-study-shows-daily-impact-of-discrimination-on-lgbtq-mental-health/

Parris, Fulks, Kelley. (2021). Anti-LGBTQ policy propsals can harm youth mental health. Child Trends.

https://www.childtrends.org/publications/anti-lgbtq-policy-proposals-can-harm-youth-mental-health

Unknown. (2021). How discrimination impacts LGBTQ healthcare. St. Catherine University.

https://www.stkate.edu/academics/healthcare-degrees/lgbtq-health-discrimination

Unknown. (2019). Mental health risks higher for LGBTQ people. UW HEALTH.

https://www.uwhealth.org/news/mental-health-risks-higher-for-lgbtq-people

Unknown. (2021). LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survery. IPSOS.

https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2021-06/LGBT%20Pride%202021%20Global%20Survey%20Report_3.pdf