LGBTQ Pride Month
This month is Pride month, a time when we celebrate the equality of the LGBTQ+ community and the right for all to love and live as we choose. Pride Month is celebrated in June and commemorates the Stonewall Uprisings of 1969 in which police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community who had been inside the Stonewall when the raids began took to the street to demonstrate against police brutality and discrimination.
In 1970, the first Pride parade was planned by activists to commemorate the Stonewall Uprisings and to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Now, Pride is celebrated across the world!
In this article, we’ll discuss the history of Pride in our city, and offer a round up of resources related to mental health for LGBQT+ individuals.
Pride Parade Atlanta
Here in Atlanta, we have major Pride celebrations throughout the month of June.
According to the Atlanta History Center’s blog, the raid of Lonesome Cowboys in 1969 sparked outrage across the Atlanta LGBTQ+ community and set the stage for activism that led to future celebrations of Pride throughout the city:
“National tensions were high from the Vietnam anti-war movement and from the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as Atlanta’s central role in the Civil Rights Movement. Within that environment, the city’s LBGTQIA+ organizers saw an opportunity for visibility and change.”
Atlanta officially celebrated its first Pride parade in 1970 on the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprisings.
By 1976, Pride celebrations had grown and were given the official recognition of Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson:
“Mayor Maynard Jackson declared the day of the parade, June 26, to be Gay Pride Day in Atlanta. The following year, Mayor Jackson issued a subsequent proclamation for Civil Liberties Day after facing backlash for his emphasis of Gay Pride in 1976.”
By 1994, Atlanta had the fifth largest Pride celebration in the nation, and by the year 2000, Atlanta Pride festivals highlighted well-known singers and were sponsored by large corporations, such as Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines. Pride in Atlanta is an important signal of community, love, acceptance, and support.
Support and acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals also includes awareness of mental health concerns faced by members of this community.
Mental Health LBGTQ
In addition to Pride, which is a celebration of love and support for the gay community, support and acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals also includes awareness of mental health concerns faced by members of this community.
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Mental Health
First things first: everyone has a sexual orientation and gender identity. Identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, or any other descriptor along the spectrums of sexuality and gender is normal and does not signify any sort of mental disorder.
As Mental Health America reminds us, “Although being LGBTQ+ is absolutely not a mental illness, many LGBTQ+ people experience mental health struggles. The bisexual and transgender communities have the highest rates of mental health concerns within the LGBTQ+ population. Younger members of the LGBTQ+ community struggle the most with mental health concerns of all the age groups.”
Unfortunately, some LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination when seeking healthcare. From providers who are culturally competent in LGBTQ+ issues to insurance struggles, the LGBTQ+ community often faces barriers to effective and equitable healthcare.
Mental Health Resources for the LGBTQ+ Community
With these considerations in mind, AICC would like to provide a round up of resources from around the web that focus on mental health for LGBTQ+ individuals.
From the National Alliance on Mental Health:
The American Psychological Association (APA) provides countless educational and support resources on a range of LGBTQ topics
The Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Issues in Counseling delivers educational and support resources for LGBTQ individuals, as well as promoting competency on LGBTQ issues for counseling professionals
The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists offers numerous resources for LGBT individuals experiencing mental health conditions and psychiatric professionals with LGBT clients
The National Center for Transgender Equality offers resources for transgender individuals, including information on the right to access health care
The LGBT National Help Center offers confidential peer support connections for LGBT youth, adults and seniors including phone, text and online chat
The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association's Provider Directory is a search tool that can locate a LGBTQ-inclusive health care provider
Resources for LGBTQ Youth
According to the CDC:
“Some LGBT youth are more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience negative health and life outcomes. It is critical for the parents, guardians, and other family members of LGBT youth to have access to the resources they need to ensure their LGBT children are protected and supported.”
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Teens: Facts for Teens and Their Parentsexternal icon If you’ve ever wondered if you’re gay, lesbian, or bisexual, you’re not alone. Many teens ask themselves this question, and here are ways to find some answers. For parents and caregivers, finding out your son or daughter is gay, lesbian, or bisexual can present challenges. Learn more about how to be supportive.
Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN): Student Actionexternal icon As a student, you have the power to make change in many ways in your school and community.
Genders & Sexualities Alliance Networkexternal icon GSA clubs are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities.
The Trevor Project is a support network for LGBTQ youth providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention, including a 24-hour text line (Text “START” to 678678)
HealthyChildren.org: Health Concerns for Gay and Lesbian teensexternal icon Information for LGBT teens on sexual activity, substance use, mental health, discrimination, and violence.
It Gets Better Projectexternal icon The It Gets Better Project inspires people across the globe to share their stories and remind the next generation of LGBTQ+ youth that hope is out there, and it will get better.
Q Card Projectexternal icon The Q Card is a simple and easy-to-use communication tool designed to empower LGBTQ youth to become actively engaged in their health, and to support the people who provide their care.
Q Chat Spaceexternal icon Q Chat Space is a digital LGBTQ+ center where teens join live-chat, professionally facilitated, online support groups.
Stomp Out Bullying: Making Schools Safe for LGBTQ Communityexternal icon Schools should be a young person’s primary center for learning, growing, and building a foundation for success in the world. High school can be challenging for any student, but LGBTQ youth face additional obstacles of harassment, abuse, and violence.
The Trevor Project: Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention external icon The Trevor Project is a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
AICC is proud to celebrate Pride month and to encourage you to take charge of your mental health. If you are looking for a therapist trained to support LGBTQ+ mental health needs, we are here to help. Please check us out at our website and give us a call to schedule an appointment.