June Is Pride Month
Increasing Awareness of Mental Health Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Individuals in Rural America
June is Pride Month – a time when people and organizations come together to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+* community. Although there has been great progress in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, many in the LGBTQ+ community still face both personal and systemic discrimination.
During Pride Month, Rural Minds strives to increase awareness of the mental health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those who live in rural America. Accessing mental healthcare is often a challenge for many who live in rural communities throughout the US, but that challenge is multiplied for rural LGBTQ+ people. In addition to such issues as social and geographic isolation, shortages of healthcare professionals and transportation barriers experienced by all rural Americans seeking mental healthcare, LGBTQ+ people also risk encountering stigma and discrimination.
In this blog, we raise awareness of mental health challenges rural LGBTQ+ people face by sharing both national and rural statistics, as well as provide resources for additional information and support.
*LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term that includes a member of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, nonbinary or otherwise gender non-conforming populations.
National LGBTQ+ Statistics:
According to Gallup’s latest update on LGBTQ+ identification, 9.3% of U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than heterosexual. This figure has doubled since 2020 and is up from 3.5% in 2012, when Gallup first measured it.
In the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Study, LGBTQI+ youth are at a higher risk of being bullied: More high school students who self-identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual reported they were bullied at school (32%) and cyberbullied (26.26%) compared to their straight peers (17.1% and 14.1%, respectively).
The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People gathered information from more than 28,000 LGBTQ people between the ages of 13 and 24 from across the U.S. Here are some of the key findings:
Suicide risk:
41% of respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
14% of respondents attempted suicide in the past year.
Depression and anxiety:
54% of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
67% of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
81% of respondents wanted mental healthcare, but 56% of them were unable to get it.
In recent years, there has been an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation proposed and enacted throughout the U.S. The following results from The Trevor Project 2023 survey indicate the impact of anti-LGBTQ legislation and policies on LGBTQ youth:
Nearly two out of three respondents reported that hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ people at school made their mental health a lot worse.
Nearly one out of three respondents reported that their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ legislation and policies.
LGBTQ+ Statistics in Rural America:
An estimated 2.9 to 3.8 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual populations (LGBTQIA+) individuals live in rural communities throughout the U.S., as reported in the National Rural Health Association Policy Brief – LGBTQIA+ Health in Rural America. These individuals face the same challenges as many other rural Americans, including limited access to healthcare, job loss and a growing opioid epidemic.
The rural health and mental health challenges can be even greater for LGBTQIA+ because of fewer healthcare providers with training in LGBTQIA+ health issues. In addition, many rural healthcare providers don’t routinely discuss sexual orientation or gender identity. That means specific healthcare needs and disparities are not being identified, including effective interventions for behavioral health issues related to LGBTQIA+ experiences.
In the Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021:
Nearly half (49%) of LGBTQ youth in small towns and rural areas stated that their communities were “somewhat unaccepting” or “very unaccepting” of LGBTQ individuals, compared to 26% of those in urban and suburban areas. Only 4% of LGBTQ youth reported that their community was very accepting of LGBTQ individuals.
LGBTQ youth in rural areas and small towns had a slightly higher risk of experiencing depression, considering suicide, or attempting suicide compared to students in urban and suburban areas. Though LGBTQ youth from rural areas and small towns and had less access to LGBTQ-affirming schools (48% vs. 56%) than youth in urban and suburban areas, those rural youth with LGBTQ-affirming schools had a 35% lower chance of attempting suicide.
A Call to Action – Tackling Mental Health Disparities for Rural LGBTQ+ People
As the studies and surveys cited here demonstrate, LGBTQ+ people living in rural communities encounter the same mental healthcare challenges as other rural Americans, but the disparities in accessing resources and appropriate treatment can be even more difficult because of existing prejudices and discrimination.
It’s a call to action for rural communities to come together to increase awareness and dispel the stigma experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Some ways communities can help to tackle the disparities include:
In rural healthcare – Educate the workforce, put in place inclusive systems of care, and implement policies that address discrimination.
In rural schools – Implement practices and policies to support LGBTQ+ youth.
In local and state governments – Propose and support laws and public policies that enforce protections against discrimination of LGBTQ+ people.
In The Trevor Project’s 2023 survey, LGBTQ+ young people were asked to describe what a world would look like where all LGBTQ+ people are accepted. Some of the top responses included: “Happy.” “Safe.” “Beautiful.” “Peaceful.” “Perfect.” “Amazing.” As we celebrate the great strides that have been made for LGBTQ+ equality during Pride Month, it’s also important to shine a light on the issues and challenges that still exist, prompting the question: What can each of us do in our everyday lives to help make the world a happy, safe and beautiful place where everyone feels accepted?
Ultimately, creating informed and inclusive environments – including supportive families, friends, schools and communities – is the best way to help overcome the mental health inequities perpetuated by discrimination and stigma and to promote the overall well-being for LGBTQ+ individuals in rural America.
LGBTQ+ Support and Mental Health Resources:
Hotlines:
The Trevor Project has crisis counselors available 24/7 for LGBTQ+ youth to provide immediate support:
Call 1-866-488-7386 or text 678-678.The Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a 24/7 peer support service, run by trans people for trans and questioning peers:
Call 1-877-565-8860.
Additional resources:
· Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
· Mental Health America – LGBTQ+ Mental Health
· National Alliance on Mental Illness - LGBTQI
· National Center for Transgender Equality
If you need help managing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Lifeline connects you with a trained crisis counselor who can help. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7.