I am Human Too

   Here's how to end the LGBT mental health crisis Use the following tags to help navigate this page: #theissue to learn more #background for background on the issue #solutions to learn how you can help solve the issue#resources to find out YOU can help#sources for a work cited page  

[feministism]

[thetrevorproject]

Parents, You Need to Talk to Your Kids About Suicide. Here’s How.

Talking about it can be hard, but it’s so important.

“the reality is, we need to be talking openly about suicide and suicidal ideation to reduce stigma and to keep children, adolescents, and young adults safe” 👏

If you or anyone you know needs support, we’re here for you 24/7 at 866.488.7386 or text/chat: thetrevorproject.org/help 📲

[thegaylists]

Guide To Gay Content

Just a little guide to gay content so we can start the year off right! Obviously there’s a lot of musicians and films that didnt get included, but these are some favs!

Animation

Aoi Hana 

Bloom Into You

Danger and Eggs

Doukyuusei

Freedom Fighter: The Ray

Girls Last Tour 

In A Heartbeat

Izetta: The Last Witch

No. 6 

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Riddle Story Of Devil 

Rin: Daughters Of Mnemosyne 

Rosaline (hulu)

Sailor Moon

Sakura Kiss

She-Ra & the princesses of power

Star Vs The Forces Of Evil

Stevens Universe

Super Drags

The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived

The Legend Of Korra 

Wandering Son 

Whispered Words 

Yuri on Ice

Comedies/Rom-Coms

4th Man Out

Alex Strangelove

Almost Adults

Blockers

But I’m a Cheerleader

D.E.B.S

Duck Butter

Edge of Seventeen

Handsome Devil

Lez Bomb

Life Partners

Love, Simon

Saving Face

The 10 Year Plan

Documentaries

100 Men

Gayby Baby

Gender Revolution

I am the Ambassador

How Gay is Pakistan?

Matt Shepard is a friend of mine

The freedom to marry

Musicals

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Falsettos

Fun Home

Gay Bride of Frankestein

Rent

Romeo is Not the Only Fruit

The Color Purple

The Prom

Period Pieces

Atomic Blonde

Call me by your name

Carol

Colette

Desert Hearts

Farewell, My Queen

Heavenly Creatures

Professor Marston & the wonder women

Tell it to the Bees

The Girl King

The Handmaiden

The Hours

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Romantic Dramas (Modern Setting)

Boy Erased

Disobedience

Fire

I Can’t Think Straight

Moonlight

Naz & Maalik

Pariah

The Wound

Tv Shows

Andi Mack

Black Lightning

Brooklyn 99

Champions

Degrassi: Next Class

Grace & Frankie

Insatiable

Instinct 

Marvels Runaways 

Modern Family

Noah’s Arc

One Day at a Time

Orange is the New Black

Queer Eye

Rupaul’s Drag Race

Schitt’s Creek

Sense 8

Shadowhunters

Shameless

Supergirl

The Bisexual (Hulu)

The Bold Type

The Fosters

The McCarthy’s

The New Normal

The Real O'Neals

Young Adult Books

A Line In The Dark by Malinda Lo

Ash by Malinda Lo

Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets Of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Far From You by Tess Sharpe 

Fat Angie by e. E Charlton-Trujillo

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg

Jerkbait by Mia Siegert 

Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg 

Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare 

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth 

They Both Die At The End-Adam Silvera

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan 

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour 

We Are The Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson 

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli

Graphic Novels/Comics

Adrian & The Tree Of Secrets by Hubert

Are You My Mother by Alison Bechdel

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin

Blue Is The Warmest Color by Julie Maroh

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Home After Dark by David Small

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

Kim & Kim by Magdalene Visaggio

Snapshots Of A Girl by Beldan Sezan 

Moonstruck by Grace Ellis

Moto Crush by Brenden Fletcher 

My Brothers Husband by Genjoroh Tagame 

My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness by Nagata Kabi

My Solo Exchange Diary by Nagata Kabi

No Straight Lines edited by Justin Hall

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill 

The One Hundred Nights Of Hero by Isabel Greenberg 

Transposes by Dylan Edwards 

Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal

Children’s Picture Books

A Tale Of Two Daddies-Vanita Oelschlager

A Tale Of Two Mommies-Vanita Oelschlager 

ABC: A Family Alpabet Book-Bobbie Combs 

And Tango Makes Three-Justin Richardson

Daddy, Papa, and Me-Leslea Newman

Felicia’s Favorite Story-Leslea Newman

Heather Has Two Mommies-Leslea Newman

In Our Mothers’ House-Patricia Polacco

Jacob’s New Dress-Ian Hoffman

King & King-Linda De Haan

Large Fears-Myles E. Johnson

Mommy, Mama, and Me-Leslea Newman

My Princess Boy-Cheryl Kilodavis

The Different Dragon-Jennifer Bryan

The Family Book-Todd Parr

The Great Big Book Of Families-Mary Hoffman 

This Day In June-Gayle E. Pitman

Middle-Grade Books

Alan Cole Is Not A Coward by Eric Bell 

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot by Dan Pikey

Drama. by Raina Telgemeir 

Drum Roll Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow 

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender

Ivy Aberdeen’s letter to the world by Ashley Herring Blake

Kiss by Jaqueline Wilson

My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Star Crossed by Barbara Dee 

The Accidental Adventures Of India McAllister by Charlotte Agell 

The Boy In The Dress by David Williams 

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy 

The Trials Of Apollo Series by Rick Riordan 

LGB Musicians

Christine And The Queens

Ezra Furman

Frank Ocean

Frankie Simone 

girl in red 

Halestorm/Lzzy Hale 

Halsey

Hayley Kiyoko

Ieuan

Janelle Monae 

Ji Nilsson

Kehlani

Keiynan Lonsdale 

Kevin Abstract

King Princess

Kodie Shane 

Lauren Sanderson

Maddie Ross

Mary Lambert

Matt Fishel

MIKA

MNEK

Moaning Lisa 

Partner

Perfume Genius

Princess Nokia 

Rett Madison

Sam Smith

St. Vincent 

The Internet/Syd 

Todrick Hall

TORRES

Torrey Mercer 

TWINKIDS 

Tyler Glenn

Zolita 

Trans Musicians

Ah Mer Ah Su

Anohni

Black Dresses 

Girls Rituals

G.L.O.S.S

ItsBambii

Jake Edwards 

Joe Stevens

Kim Petras 

Laith Ashley

Laura Jane Grace

Left At London

Mina Caputo 

Mya Bryne 

Namoli Brennet 

Peppermint

Quay Dash

Ren Stedman

Ryan Cassata 

Sateen

Schmekel

She/Her/Hers

Shea Diamond

SOPHIE

Vivek Shraya 

NB Musicians 

Adore Delano

Adult Mom

Angel Haze

CJ Run

Ezra Furman

imbi the girl

Jinkx Monsoon

King Princess 

Mal Blum

Ness Nite

Porch Cat

Rachel Maria Cox

Rae Spoon 

Sam Smith

Shamir

She King

Sir Babygirl

Tash Sultana

The Scary Jokes

Worriers 

[iamhumantoo2019]

References

Robert, A. (2019, April). Protecting LGBTQ Minors: ABA develops a guide for drafting laws to ban controversial conversion therapy. ABA Journal. Retrieved Oct. 2019 from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A584495945/AONE?u=s9004364&sid=AONE&xid=e2df6Aa

Dingfelder, S. F. (2009, June). Stigma: Alive and well. American Psychology Association. Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.

Glossary of LGBT Terms for Health Care Teams. (2018, March). Retrieved November 14, 2019,  from https://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/publication/lgbt-glossary/.

Kastanis, A. J., Gates, G. J., Strieker, M. J., Goldberg, S. J., & Conron, K. (2019, January). LGBT Data & Demographics. The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT#demographic.

McEwen, K. (2019, Autumn). We go together: How library staff can support LGBTIQ Students in the School Library. School Librarian, 67(3), 136+. Retrieved Oct. 2019 from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A602105834/AONE?u=s9004364&sid=AONE&xid=e71c81fe

Mental illness is heightened in the LGBT community and deserves to be talked about. (2015, March 1). UWIRE Text Retrieved Oct. 2019 https://library.cocc.edu:2308/apps/doc/A403550060/AONE?u=s9004364&sid=AONE&xid=15ba2758

Montano, G. (2016, October). It does get better ... with your help: preventing suicide. Pediatric News. Retrieved Oct. 2019 https://library.cocc.edu:2308/apps/doc/A469639659/AONE?u=s9004364&sid=AONE&xid=fde2a698

Morris, M., Cooper, R. L., Ramesh, A., Tabatabai, M., Arcury, T. A., Shinn, M., ...Matthews-Juarez, P. (2019). Training to reduce LGBTQ-related bias among medical, nursing, and dental students and providers: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), NA. Retrieved Oct. 2019 from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A600196151/AONE?u=s9004364&sid=AONE&xid=65a6f8f1 

[iamhumantoo2019]

[iamhumantoo2019]

The reality is that even though there is a strong push for patient equality, “biases among health care professions students and providers toward LGBTQ patients are common” (Morris, 2019),  as Matthew Morris found in his study “Training to reduce LGBTQ-related bias among medical, nursing, and dental students and providers: a systematic review” for BMC Medical.  A previous study conducted among first-year heterosexual medical students found that around half reported have explicit negative attitudes towards lesbian and gay people, while over 80% demonstrated more unconscious negative evaluations of LGBT patients (Morris, 2019). These biases are proven to have affected clinical assessments, medical treatment, and quality of care as well as a result in “preconceived notions about patient adherence, poor doctor-patient communication, and microaggressions, all of which can interfere with optimal care” (Morris, 2019). It’s evident that there’s the connection between queer youth not getting the medical attention that they need and the cause of it; they feel unsafe, and even if they do go, the care isn’t near adequate. Despite the painful evidence, Morris conducted a study in which medical professional students and providers were enrolled in programs that increased comfort levels working with LGBT patients and decreased anxiety levels. The applications utilized “scripted interview exercises, training in sexual history taking, small group discussions, role-play, and perspective-taking exercises” (Morris, 2019). The review found that the programs were effective in increasing knowledge about the community and related health care, increased comfort level regarding LGBT healthcare, and was effective at promoting tolerant attitudes towards queer patients. This study proves that there are ways to improve the medical settings so that LGBT youth will no longer be afraid and get the medical attention that they need. If similar programs were required for medical professionals or at least heavily encouraged, then we would be one step closer to patient equality, but not only that. Too many people fear the stigma of even going to get help, so in turn, they suffer in silence with their mental illness and sadly too often take their own lives. Dr. Montano explains that clinicians should always be on the lookout for suicidal behaviors in LGBT youth because, for many, clinicians are the only support they may have. If these programs are implemented, then people like Dr. Montano can start their work and catch the early signs of suicide, preventing the loss of so many beautiful people.

[plannedparenthood]

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You can’t tell if you have HIV just by the way you feel because most people who get HIV don’t have any symptoms for years. Luckily, HIV testing is pretty easy and quick. 

The best part about getting tested for HIV? Once you get it over with, it can really put your mind at ease. And if you do have HIV, it’s best to find out early so that you can take medicines to help you stay healthy and lower your chances of spreading HIV to others. 

Make an appointment to get tested>>

[iamhumantoo2019]

[iamhumantoo2019]

Far too often, schools are the source of stressors and increased anxieties for students. It could be by the hands of other students, staff, or a generally unsupportive environment that students don't feel comfortable in or safe. There are several ways that staff members can help to cultivate an inclusive and accepting school climate. Karys McEwen, an avid LGBT supporter and Australian librarian, advises staff members to remember that unsympathetic school climates can have a massively adverse effect on an LGBT teen's ability to succeed in school in her article “We go Together: How library staff can support LGBTIQ students in the school's library” (2018). She goes on to explain how such climates can damage their sense of belonging and even hurt their educational goals, which can lead to decreased attendance rates, lower levels of confidence, and reduced academic scores (McEwen, 2018). One of the major ways that staff members can help to foster a positive academic environment is with correct terminology and pronouns. Using the correct terms and asking about the correct pronouns show students that they have a trustworthy and accepting person to turn to when they need it. (Here’s a link to a glossary of LGBT terms) Aside from using the correct terms, providing students with materials that promote gender and sexual diversity is a huge step to promote an inclusive environment. These materials should include books that allow students to see themselves reflected in the stories because “to know that someone else shares our embarrassments, fears, doubts, longings... or if not shares them, has at least had the thought flitter across their mind--that is everything” (McEwen, 2018). Developing a community of tolerance and love can make a world of difference to a person who feels like the sky is permanently grey and stormy. Even if all homes and schools were perfect, we still have one more hurdle: the medical setting. 

[iamhumantoo2019]

The first and probably the most important place to start fostering a more welcoming and accepting environment is at home. A lot of times, a family's lack of understanding and resources can lead to such things as conversion therapy, which is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to alter one’s sexual orientation or gender identity to a heterosexual one through psychological or spiritual methods. Now I'm not saying that every parent or guardian will send their child off to have the gay prayed away, but if you don't have any experience with the LGBT community, it's very easy to be led down the wrong path by someone you trust. A 2018 study done by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law found that nearly 698,000 LGBT adults have received some form of conversion therapy in their life. Amanda Robert (2019) says it was at the hands of licensed health care professionals in her essay "Protecting LGBTQ Minors: ABA develops a guide for drafting laws to ban conversion therapy" for the ABA Journal. She continues to say that "some mental health professionals have been able to exploit families…” and “tell them that no child is really gay or transgender, they're just mixed up, they're confused” (Robert, 2019). Unfortunately, parents believe them because they don’t know any better and believe that since it came from a medical professional, it must be true. However, that's not true at all: being LGBT isn't a choice, we're not confused or mixed up, and it's nothing to feel shame over. A parent or guardian's best form of protection against harmful practices like conversion therapy is love and acceptance. Juno Dawson in her book "This Book is Gay" explains that only the best parents would be prepared to have a gay child from the start so that when they're born, they're not incorrectly tagged as straight or cisgendered; but, this isn't the reality or even close to it for most parents (Dawson, 2018). Most parents aren't expecting their child to pop up as gay since only about 5% of the American population identifies as LGBT, as was found in the 2019 LGBT Data & Demographics interactive done by the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. It would be difficult to prepare for something that has only about a 5% chance of happening. Instead, start by teaching love and acceptance and showing that you're ready to tackle any challenges that come your way because let's be honest; raising kids is a challenge in itself. You can also help the kids in your life to understand the world around them without judgment by explaining at an early age what LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender) means, and that's it's not shameful or wrong if they or someone they know are.

Be more like Harry Styles and treat people with kindness. 

[godzilla-reads]

“This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson

[iamhumantoo2019]

Solutions

Queer youth are four times likely to have attempted suicide compared to their heterosexual counterparts, while nearly 50% of transgender youth have attempted suicide (Montano, 2016). At this point, we are losing nearly half of the community for various reasons but there is one thing that they have in common: it can be prevented. 

There are several ways that you, a caring human being, can be a part of the solution and the three most important places where you can do that is at home, at school, and in a medical setting.

[peachysuggest]

you are allowed to prioritize your health and needs

[iamhumantoo2019]

The unfortunate reality is that stigma exists when fear is present and that’s what drives people to create labels and division among communities. Historically this fear or lack of understanding is what has caused the negative or sometimes violent attitudes towards mental illness and LGBT people. The Stonewall Inn Riots are one of the most infamous examples of when this fear took over. The inn was a prominent gay club in New York that had been raided by police officers in 1969 and resulted in a series of riots that acted as demonstrations for the LGBT community. Harvey Milk, a San Francisco politician assassinated for his sexuality, and Matthew Shepard, a young gay man who was brutally tortured and abandoned, are the notable names of this reality; the violence and damage that stigma can and has caused to the LGBT community. The shame doesn't just stop at the LGBT community; it invades the now socially aware mental health conversation and threatens to close it off. 

 It's no secret that mental health has been a closed conversation, reserved for only behind doors so that no one else knows what's 'wrong' with you. The hushed tones have caused people to forgo seeing a medical professional and have even raised the suicide rates among the younger demographic. Even with the heightened social awareness, Sadie F. Dingfelder (2009) claims in her cover story “Stigma: Alive and Well” for the American Psychology Association, people still fall victim to the stigma and internalize the belief that they are incompetent, worthless, and irrational. This can lead to social isolation, a decrease in medication use, and even physical harm (Dingfelder, 2009). If taken into the perspective of the marginalized LGBT community, the links between mental health and their stigma are painfully clear, and the effects are tenfold when it comes to the youth in the LGBT community. Expert on gender minority youth Dr. Gerald Montano explains in his article “It does get better… with your help: preventing suicide”  queer youth are four times likely to have attempted suicide compared to their heterosexual counterparts, while nearly 50% of transgender youth have attempted suicide. If these staggering statistics and stories combined, it's clear to see the need to push for a systematic shift in opinions. 

[iamhumantoo2019]

Society has transformed itself over the past 3 decades, creating a more welcoming and positive environment to be out in. Queer Eye, Transparent, Atypical, and RuPaul’s Drag Race has taken our tv screens by rainbow storm and promoted positive examples of LGBT people. This Book is Gay, Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda and Call Me by Your Name have begun to dominate bookshelves while Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody parade Hollywood in feather boas and bodysuits, showing the world just how beautiful the LGBT community is. They all share one common message: be loud and proud in who you are and remember it does get better. However, there is an underlying issue that’s being ignored: the mental health crisis. Even in our time of self-care Instagram accounts and mental health crusaders like Jameela Jamil and Megan Jayne Crabbe, there are still treads that promote the idea that being mentally unstable or crazy is cool. Joaquin Phoenix and Jared Leto's depictions of the Joker make it seem as if being mentally ill and violent are what get you fame and fortune or in the simplest case, attention. These notions glamourize the reality that about 38% of heterosexual adults deal with major depression while a staggering 71% of LGBT people are affected by it. 

Nonetheless, there are ways to fix this glamourization and help end the LGBT mental health crisis. By creating accepting family environments, inclusive school climates, and knowledgeable medical settings, caregivers and loved ones of LGBT people alike can help to lower the mental illness rates in the population and give the youth a chance at a happier and more successful life.

[transboipositivity]

Fun fact:

Baby Yoda says trans rights!

[vintagesapphics]

lesbian couple at Le Monocle, 1932 by Brassaï (Gyula Halász)