The psychological impact of being queer in a non-accepting society

Author: Ιoli Nikoletta Papadopoulou 

Description/Introduction 

In this heteronormative society where we live the idea of queerness is usually persecuted and considered by some people as abnormal As a result people of the LGBTQIA+ community (which represent about 10% of the world population)(Kidd,2017) feel excluded and face judgment from their families and communities or not be in a safe environment to express their identity. This can have a tragic impact on their mental health, as they can not be their true selves. 

Key words and definitions 

Queer: The term queer refers to an individual whose sexuality is else that straight and/or their gender identity differs from the biological sex as it was assigned to them at birth. Queer people belong in the LGBTQIA+ community. (they are the Q in this acronym)( Cyrus and Morrison, 2019) 

Heteronormativity: In our societies through religion the idea of heteronormativity has been passed from the elder generations to the younger. Heteronormativity refers to the belief that the only acceptable and normal sexual orientation is straight and that same sex attraction is not considered normal behavior. 

Biological sex: Biological sex is considered the sex that is assigned to an individual at birth. This can be female, male and in a small amount of cases intersex. 

Gender identity: Gender identity refers to the gender that is chosen by an individual and that might not be the same as the one that was assigned to them at birth. Gender identities are of a wide variety and can be expressed via the use of pronouns, the name, changes in the external appearance of oneself.( Cyrus and Morrison, 2019) 

Stigma: Stigma can be characterized as a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or characteristic of a person. 

The stigma around queer people 

Throughout the years, queer people have faced a lot of stigma. In many countries they are still not recognized and in extreme cases they are persecuted. Even though a lot of steps have been made towards a more inclusive society where stigma towards people from the LGBTQIA+ community the stigma has not yet been demolished. Queer people still face harsh judgment in their daily lives and many times are excluded due to their identity. This leads them to feeling lonely and that something is wrong with their identity. All the above can have a detrimental effect on the mental stability of oneself leading to many emotional and mental disorders. (Queer people are more than twice as likely to suffer from a mental health disorder in the course of their lifetime)(Kidd,2017) 

The importance of a supportive community 

In all aspects of our life, having a supportive community can be of great assistance to our mental health. It makes us feel accepted and that we have someone to talk to and to rely on.

It also allows us to be our true selves without hiding any parts of our identity. This is also true for queer people, if they have a supportive community around them they are more able to be their true selves and stand bravely against the curveballs that life throws at them due to a part of their identity that they did not choose. A supportive community can be of great assistance in the development of a fuller, more emotionally stable identity that will stick with them for life. 

References 

Jeremy Kidd and the Council on Minority Mental Health and Heath Disparities, 2017,Mental Health Disparities: LGBTQ. Citation available at: 

https://www.psychiatry.org/getmedia/552df1c0-57f2-4489-88fa-432182ce815a/Mental-Health -Facts-for-LGBTQ.pdf 

Dr. Kali Cyrus and Catherine Morrison, 2019,Mental Health Facts on Questioning/Queer Populations. Citation available at: 

https://www.psychiatry.org/getmedia/1da0f311-d0d1-4bd3-8397-acb76a4a8d6a/Mental-Healt h-Facts-for-Queer-Questioning-Populations.pdf