LGBTQ History Month: How To Celebrate & Raise Awareness For Queer Mental Health Needs
- For those experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988
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- For those experiencing substance use, please contact SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Every October, the United States celebrates LGBTQ History Month. Distinct from Pride Month, which takes place in June, LGBTQ History Month is a time to raise awareness about the many contributions of historical figures from the LGBTQ+ community over the years. This annual event helps build community and honors many individuals who have made great personal sacrifices to contribute to various fields, from education to medicine to activism and more. Keep reading to learn more about LGBTQ History Month and ways to support the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals in October and year-round.
The origins of LGBTQ History Month
LGBT History Month dates back to 1994, when a group of organizations designated the month of October as a time to celebrate historical figures in the LGBTQ movement. In 1995, the General Assembly of the National Education Association passed a resolution to include LGBT History Month among a list of commemorative months in the national curriculum.
Today, this event serves as a civil rights statement and aims to raise awareness of the many LGBTQ individuals whose contributions have often gone unrecognized among the general public due to anti-LGBTQ discrimination and erasure.
National Coming Out Day for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals
National Coming Out Day takes place every year on October 11. The first event took place on this day in 1988—exactly one year after the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This annual event coincides with LGBT History Month and celebrates those who choose to come out and share their queer identity with their friends, family members, and coworkers. National Coming Out Day can serve as a way to encourage people to come out but without pressuring them if they’re not ready or if it’s not safe for them to do so.
How LGBT History Month can promote mental health
LGBT History Month can serve as a time to remember all the people who have fought for LGBTQ rights and reflect on the work still to be done to improve conditions and mental health for those in this community. Research suggests that people in the LGBTQ community still experience major mental health disparities due to their lived experiences of discrimination—which can range from microaggressions to social rejection and exclusion to harassment and violence and can also be attributed to disparities in the availability of care. The following are some recent statistics related to LGBTQ mental health:
- Individuals from the LGBTQ community are 2.5 times more likely than heterosexual individuals to experience anxiety, depression, or substance use disorder, with queer youth, transgender individuals, and queer people of color at especially high risk.
- 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide last year, with rates higher for transgender and non-binary young people (46%) and queer youth of color.
- Approximately 28% of queer people of color are uninsured, compared to just 8% of the overall population, which can significantly affect their ability to receive medical or mental health care.
Tips for supporting LGBTQ mental health
One way to support LGBTQ mental health during LGBTQ History Month and year-round is to engage in more open dialogue about mental health in general. By openly discussing common mental health challenges, individuals can help fight stigma and normalize help-seeking behavior.
Another way for people to fight stigma is to speak up when they see or hear comments that perpetuate harmful stereotypes about mental health or about queer people. Challenging false ideas about mental illness may encourage honesty and openness regarding mental health challenges, and challenging harmful beliefs about the queer community may help create safer and more inclusive environments for all.
How an LGBTQ+ therapist can help
LGBTQ History Month can be a time to promote mental health and encourage LGBTQ individuals to seek support when needed. Keep in mind that therapy isn’t just for people who are experiencing signs of a mental health condition; it can also serve as a form of support for navigating life’s challenges and as a way to build resilience.
Online therapy options for members of the queer community
Some people may live in an area with few LGBTQ+-inclusive mental health professionals. Others may prefer to speak with a therapist outside their local community or may simply feel more comfortable meeting with a provider virtually. In such cases, online therapy can be a convenient alternative to in-person care. With online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp, individuals can connect to a pool of more than 25,000 licensed therapists, which can make it easier to find a provider who has experience serving individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.
Online therapy allows individuals to speak with a therapist remotely, via audio, video, live chat, or a combination of these methods. With BetterHelp, clients can also reach out to their therapist at any time through in-app messaging, and their therapist will reply as soon as they can. This feature allows LGBTQ+ individuals to reach out on days when they may be experiencing high stress instead of waiting until their next therapy session to communicate what they’re feeling.
In addition to offering flexible communication methods, online therapy has strong support in the psychological literature. For instance, one study suggests that internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy can often be effective for treating symptoms of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and substance use disorder, among other disorders.
Takeaway
Is LGBT History Month different from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month?
LGBT History Month (October) is a separate commemorative month from Pride Month (June). Both celebrate the LGBT community, but gay history month focuses more on historical figures who have been pivotal to LGBTQ recognition. October also coincides with the first and second marches for gay rights in Washington, DC in 1979 and 1987, respectively.
When is National Coming Out Day?
National Coming Out Day is celebrated every year on October 11, which is during the annual, month-long observance of LGBT History Month. This celebration started in 1998 on the first anniversary of the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Today, various groups and organizations may celebrate it by sharing stories and achievements of queer people, holding events like a drag ball or queer social mixer, or taking a specific action to advocate for social change.
What were the first school districts to recognize LGBTQ History Month?
In 2012, Broward County School District in Florida and Los Angeles School District in California became the first two American school districts to recognize LGBTQ History Month. Now, thanks to more than one progressive steering committee in the country, many school districts around the US recognize this queer history observance as part of state curriculum, though it’s still excluded from national curriculum.
Who is Rodney Wilson in the LGBTQ history movement?
Rodney Wilson is a teacher who founded Lesbian and Gay History Month in 1994. Wilson formed the first coordinating committee for this commemorative month, which is now called LGBTQ History Month.
What is the connection between gay history and World War II?
Many people from the LGBTQ+ community contributed greatly to World War II efforts, despite being discriminated against for their gender identity or sexual orientation. Examples of those who contributed include Phyllis Abry, Frank Kameny, and Ferris LeBlanc.
What organization is behind LGBTQ History Month?
LGBTQ History Month is organized by Equality Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every year in October, the organization celebrates 31 LGBTQ icons and role models in American history—one for each day of the month. Equality Forum also offers free resources on LGBTQ events and initiatives on its website.
Which country celebrates LGBTQ?
According to information published by the UCLA Williams Institute, there are certain countries that celebrate LGBTQ+ people more than others. Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada are the top five most accepting countries of LGBTQ+ people today, according to their analysis.
How do you make LGBTQ feel welcome?
Making LGBTQ+ people feel welcome usually involves basic respect and kindness. For example, asking for and then using a person's preferred name and pronouns can help them feel welcome, as can using inclusive language in general.
How to show respect to LGBTQ?
Showing respect and kindness can go a long way toward making LGBTQ+ people feel welcome. Using their preferred name and pronouns and not asking invasive questions about their identity can also be advisable.
What challenges might LGBTQ families face?
LGBTQ+ families may face a variety of unique challenges today. Continued socioeconomic marginalization, discrimination, and dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ legislation are a few examples.
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