Working on Equity and Freedom for All
Last Friday, I participated in a professional training regarding increasing health equity for individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+. It was packed with tons of great information, and I am going to share some statistics and other information that were impactful to me. Mental Health America of Northern Kentucky & Southwest Ohio encouraged us to share the educational content.
As of 2022, 7.2% of US adults are identifying as LGBTQIA+ and this number could actually be much higher if everyone felt safe to live authentically. Unfortunately, 74% of gay men have reported being victims of physical violence or property destruction. In a survey, 78% of LGBTQIA+ respondents and 90% of transgender or nonbinary respondents reported taking at least one action to avoid experiencing discrimination, including hiding a personal relationship, changing how they dress, and avoiding houses of worship. There is also a higher incidence of suicide, substance abuse, and mental health issues among persons who identify as LGBTQIA+. According to the Trevor Project, 56% of LGBTQIA+ young people who wanted mental health care were unable to get the care they needed in the past year. We can literally save lives by creating safe spaces for people to be themselves and learn to love and embrace who they are. And we also need to make health care, including mental health care, accessible to everyone.
Some churches claim to be welcoming and accepting, but they actually view a person’s LGBTQIA+ identity as a sin or issue that needs to be overcome. This is not a safe space. Some businesses say they serve LGBTQIA+ but change their position or products when some of their customers complain. It seems that they actually place more value on customers who hate and discriminate. Many workplaces tout themselves as EEO(equal employment opportunity) workplaces but do not promote minorities and do not protect their employees from bullying or abuse. We must do better.
Some fear the “gay agenda” or assume that LGBTQIA+ are promiscuous and are child predators. Do you want to know the truth? Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, researcher on adult male offenders and author of “Men Who Rape: Psychology of the Offender”, stated that it is a myth that adult males who molest boys are homosexual. Also in a 1994 study, researchers reviewed 352 medical charts, representing all of the children seen in the emergency room or child abuse clinic of a Denver children’s hospital as a result of being sexually abused. In looking at charts for a one year period (from July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1992), the researchers found that the molester was a gay or lesbian adult in fewer than 1 percent of cases (2 of 269) in which the adult molester could be identified.(Jenny, Roesler, and Poyer, 1994). My understanding of the real gay agenda is just to be free to love and live authentically.
Many people say that there are only two genders and that’s it. According to experts, about 1.7% of the population are born with intersex traits, which is similar to the number of people born with red hair. So there are millions of people around the world who are born with sexual characteristics that do not fit binary notions of male and female bodies. If you would like to learn more on this topic, here are a couple of resources: Myths We Need to Shatter and Ted Talk: The Way We Think About Biological Sex is Wrong. The following graphic illustrates the varied spectrum of biological characteristics, ways that people identify themselves, and who they are attracted to physically and/or emotionally.
As you can see, biology is complicated. Kindness and respect don’t have to be. Please be kind and respect a person’s right and ability to tell you who they are.
I will conclude with a few more statistics that give me hope for our future. 84% of GLAAD survey respondents support equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community. 66% of non-LGBTQ people agree that the unprecedented spike in anti-LGBTQ bills and legislation at the state level will lead to increased discrimination and violence. And 91% of non-LGBTQ people believe that people should have the freedom to live their lives and not be discriminated against. We will continue to fight and work to make this world a more equitable and safe place for everyone. Oh, and happy Pride month!
References:
Groth, A., Hobson, W., and Gary, T., (1982). “The Child Molester: Clinical Observations,” in Social Work and Child Sexual Abuse, eds. Jon R. Conte and David A. Shore (New York: Haworth Press), 136.
Jenny, C., Roesler, T. A., & Poyer, K. L. (1994). Are children at risk for sexual abuse by homosexuals? Pediatrics, 94(1), 41-44. Accessed online.
CAP, Discrimination and Barriers to Well-Being: The State of the LGBTQI+ Community in 2022.
GLAAD: Accelerating Acceptance Study, February 2023.
The Trevor Project: 2023 US National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People.