LGBTQI+
February provide NAMI on Campus High School Clubs the opportunity to highlight and support the LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersexed) community.
While all our communities face mental health challenges, LGBTQI+ community members often deal with more stigma and discrimination and can receive compromised care. Recent research strongly suggests that members of this community are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions — especially depression and anxiety disorders.
LGBTQI+ youth are at a greater risk for mental health conditions and suicidality. LGBTQI+ youth are more than twice as likely to report experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness than their heterosexual peers. Transgender youth face further disparities as they are twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide, and attempt suicide compared to cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning youth.
Those we care about in the LGBTQI+ community — friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbors — must confront stigma and prejudice based on their sexual orientation or gender identity while also dealing with the societal bias against mental health conditions.
Families, friends, and allies play a critical role and can take action to be supportive. Here are a few ways you can support the LGBTQI+ community:
🤝 Respect Their Identity
🏳️🌈 Create and Teach Awareness
🧠 Support Them in Accessing Mental Health Resources
👂 Listen and Be Compassionate
GLSEN believes that every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and LGBTQ-inclusive K-12 education. We are a national network of educators, students, and local GLSEN Chapters working to make this right a reality.
Our research and experience has shown that there are four major ways that schools can cultivate a safe and supportive environment for all of their students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
While belonging to the LGBTQI community can be a source of strength, it also brings unique challenges. For those who identify as LGBTQI, it’s important to recognize how your experience of sexual orientation and gender identity relates to your mental health. Read more...
Clubs can use this interactive activity to explore the risk factors of LGBTQ+ Mental Health.
NAMI-OC's Honest Hour: Coming Out...Let's Talk!
The mission of NAMI Orange County is to provide support, education, and advocacy for families and those affected by mental illness.
State Leaders Should Prioritize LGBTQ+ Californians’ Mental Health
Mental health is an essential part of overall health and well-being for Californians no matter one’s age, zip code, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy and thrive, yet LGBTQ+ people disproportionately experience mental health challenges compared to non-LGBTQ+ people.1
Your Voice Is Your Power
June is Pride Month and Active Minds is celebrating community, acceptance, and individuality throughout the month and beyond. At Active Minds, we are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ youth and their mental health. One way we are doing so is through our Your Voice Is Your Power program that aims to empower young adults to engage the wider community on school policy, programming efforts, and in ongoing conversations around equity and mental well-being.
More and more people are adding pronouns to the ends of their names in social media profiles and email signatures. This practice is a way of signaling a respect for people's identities and genders. To understand this practice more fully, read GLSEN's Pronoun Resource Guide
If you feel confident with your use of personal pronouns and what it means to share them and use them thoughtfully, this article from Inside Higher Ed offers a caution on how the practice of asking students for their pronouns might also cause harm if done publicly. The article and the comments that follow it demonstrate that this is a complex, evolving issue without one clear answer.
Explore resources related to sexual orientation, gender identity and more.
GET HELP
Text "START" to 678678
Phone 1-866-488-7386
Get Educated
Take a Stand for the LGBTQ Community
Break the Silence
Understand LGBTQ Mental Health Struggles
How To Take Care Of Yourself
If you're struggling, you can call or chat with the Lifeline. We're available 24/7 and confidential.
The LGBTQ+ community is diverse and strong, but may be disproportionately at-risk for suicidal feelings and other mental health struggles because of the discrimination and prejudice they too often are up against. This section has information and resources for yourself and to help support loved ones who are LGBTQ+.
Spoken word by Shea Martin
The full audio recording by the author of the essay
Dear trans kid,
If you are reading this, please know that you are enough and perfect in this very moment.
... Keep going and glowing, trans kid. We got you.
A list of over 1,100 organizations in 40+ countries around the world offering support to LGBTQ+ youth
A resource for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with successful LGBTQ+ professionals in their community
When We Rise is a docudrama miniseries profiling the lives of several community members as they struggle and triumph personally, professionally and politically.
An 18-hour hotline staffed by transgender people for transgender people. Chat 7 days a week
(877) 565-8860
Support ~ Affirmation ~ Respect ~ Acceptance
Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning community by providing free and confidential peer-support and local resources
GSA, the Gay-Straight Alliance, is a next-generation LGBTQ racial and gender justice organization that empowers and trains youth leaders to advocate, organize and mobilize for safer schools and healthier communities.
NAMI on Campus Clubs are encouraged to work with their GSA Clubs to coordinate resources and events to build community for a positive and lasting effect on student health and wellness.