Discrimination affects the mental health of the LGBT - US

Don't we know it. David was almost destroyed by the discrimination he suffered at his work place. Hasn't worked since, been getting counseling and all. He's decided to do a course here though to further qualify him in nursing, an 18 month course to become a registered nurse. Taking a HECS loan to do it, three days a week or something in the city. So he is recovering but it hasn't been easy.

It's strange that people seem to think we have no feelings, that because gays have been discriminated against for so long we must all simply be used to it. Unfortunately that's not the case. Discrimination hurts a lot.

This an interesting article from the US explaining the direct effects of gov backed discrimination, on the LGBT's mental health. There's been a backlash against the legalisation of gay marriage over there, with some states introducing new anti gay laws. This is very pertinent to the current political climate here in Australia, with fish slap Turnbull still sticking with the marriage equality plebiscite.

I'd encourage to read the whole article, but this is some of it.

When anti-LGBT legislation is advanced or passed — as it has recently in places like Georgia and Kentucky — it’s rare to hear a counterargument based on the ramifications for LGBT mental well-being. “Bathroom bills” that force gender-nonconforming people to use restrooms that conflict with their identity can physically endanger trans people, but what effect do they have on their self-esteem? How will a queer teen interpret their state senator pushing for businesses to be allowed to discriminate against him? 

“I see no reason why the negative impact of discriminatory policy and the positive impact of nondiscriminatory and protective policy should not be brought up,” says Clinton Anderson, the director of the LGBT Concerns Office at the American Psychological Association. “We certainly have used this reasoning as a basis for our advocacy of nondiscrimination.” 

Government-sanctioned intolerance has its far-reaching implications, but the inverse can also be true. A study that followed the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality in June found a decrease in health-ravaging stress among LGBT participants. The benefits to the high court ruling are wide-ranging, points out Jack Drescher, a clinical professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College. 

“The position statements of the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association in support of marriage equality all reviewed the positive health benefits of marriage, in general, in making the argument that gay people should have access to those rights and benefits,” he says. 

Even if you’re single, knowing that society supports your right to wed who you choose is good for the gay psyche. It’s likely that the passage of the proposed federal Equality Act — which would ban discrimination against LGBT people in employment, housing, and other areas — would have the same effect. Advocate   

BTW, the Lieberals continual stopping of marriage equality in Australia I consider to be a prime example of gov backed discrimination. 

Likewise the gov interfering with the Safe Schools program. I can't imagine how some young people must feel right now in Australia because of what the gov has done this last week to that program.