By: Cameron Samuels
Mental health care - in terms of access, quality, and affordability - varies among demographic groups, and as marginalized communities are more vulnerable to severe mental illnesses, this disparity is injustice. In this piece, the LGBTQ+ community and its intersections to toxic masculinity and economic inequality are discussed.
As this year's pride month concludes 52 years after the Stonewall riots, it is clear that the struggle of the LGBTQ+ community still continues in the United States.
Institutions of oppression have always existed in history, especially in the United States as it was founded upon the oppression of indigenous and enslaved African people. Rather than acknowledging the shame of oppression through reparation, America continues to do the one thing it knows best: to oppress.
Seeking mental health care is surely taboo, but for queer children and teens who have to conceal their very identity that is most impacting their mental health, this task can be untouchable. There are several reasons why:
LGBTQ+ Acceptance
To this day, so many people still consider it a mental illness to have a sexual orientation that is not heterosexual and a gender identity that is not cisgender. It is socially considered to be abnormal or atypical; in a religious context, abhorrent or a transgression.
Over time, society has come to "tolerate" the LGBTQ+ community, but queer people still have not received the "acceptance" they deserve. To co-exist is one thing, but to support is another.
While gay and transgender individuals in the United States may not be subject to arrest because of their identity, they are subject to microaggressions and violence. While they may be able to acquire marriage licenses, there are still blurry lines that prevent employment and housing discrimination from being prosecuted. In state legislatures this year, more than 175 bills have been filed that specifically target the LGBTQ+ community, and that is just the beginning.
These continuous issues take a toll on the mental health of those it impacts. Hearing slurs thrown around in school, being misgendered by one's parents, or reading the news about the attack on LGBTQ+ rights do more harm than many realize.
The direct impact of the lack of acceptance takes it even further, especially in parent-child relationships. Conversion therapy is unfortunately a common route that parents take when they do not accept the queer identity of their child. This dangerous process - which bears no substantial results - is detrimental to the mental health of queer individuals.
When conversion therapy fails or is not taken, the homeless queer youth epidemic is upheld. It is estimated that 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+, opening the pathway to the possibility of severe mental health issues. Lacking supportive parental figures, family finances, and motivation to learn and to work sets children up for failure in the modern world.
Seeking mental health care is imperative, but the effort to seek it cannot be relied on. It is apparent that mental health care for the LGBTQ+ community and the general public starts with acceptance. Friends, family, and community members must be there to support queer individuals at all times. Whether it be in listening, learning, or acting, silence is death as proven during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.
Toxic Masculinity
Transgender teens are prone to a dangerously high rate of attempted suicide. At least half of teenage trans girls have reported attempting suicide at some point in their life, the highest rate among the transgender community. In addition to the factors that impact the mental health of the LGBTQ+ community, toxic masculinity plays a role in this one.
The traditional tropes of sexual harassment and violence in toxic masculinity are one of the most severe culminations of this dangerous culture. The lasting impact of these societal norms continue onto an internal level: When people grow up learning to "man up" and be firm, they learn that holding feminine traits is fatal to their character. When people grow up learning to "man up" and conceal their struggles, they learn that asking for help and seeking the care they need is revealing their weaknesses. This social construct of toxic masculinity - in addition to being harmful to women - is destructive to the wellbeing of men and all transgender individuals.
Shaping a culture of care, in which it is honored to address the insecurities and uneasiness that one faces, is necessary to address the disparity in mental health care among demographics. Motivation to improve hospitality can build a community that promotes the idea of wellbeing, but gaslighting someone's uncomfortability in a particular situation can reinforce the barriers that prevent them from seeking care.
For this very reason, mental health care has become a stigma, and because it impacts men and transgender people more, mental illness and suicide rates are unfortunately more severe in these demographics. Until culture surrounding gender and gender identity is reshaped, the only thing that can be done to alleviate this problem is to act as individuals to dismantle these societal norms.
Economic Inequality
This factor is alike with other marginalized identities in that the LGBTQ+ community also faces a disparity in wealth. Poverty is more common in people who do not identify as heterosexual and cisgender, creating barriers to mental health care.
The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" motto - typically a phrase that only applies to those on a limited budget - extends especially to mental health care. When someone is struggling but otherwise able to work and perform everyday tasks to some extent, it can be easy to ignore the issue of mental illness. Of course, this allows the problem to worsen as it approaches a climax, which is exactly why access to and affordability of mental health care is essential.
It is already known that health care is expensive in the United States, causing many to avoid receiving the care they need. In order to promote the best personal health of the nation, medical care must be treated as a human necessity rather than a luxury. Advocates for affordable health care have been tirelessly working to redirect this narrative, but it is not only in the affordability that presents an issue in addressing the mental health of marginalized communities.
Access to health care can be easy in wealthy communities with a plethora of urgent cares, emergency rooms, specialized doctors, and high-class hospital facilities down the road, but for neglected communities of tireless labor and unmet ends, health care will be limited. More often than not, that means inadequate mental health care. One exemplification can be seen in how affluent schools may have an abundance of counselors ready to offer frivolous care with a certified skillset, while most others fail to meet the faculty-student ratio requirements with counselors who address discipline rather than student health needs.
When access is limited, it is evident that quality will also be significantly lower, thus this care may not fulfill what is necessary for one's mental well-being. Community must exist to uplift each other when mental health care is not an option. Without a culture that genuinely cares about the wellbeing and comfort of all, disparities in mental health and the caring of it will remain.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, Human Rights Council, Mental Health America, True Colors United, UCLA's Williams Institute.
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