Mental Health America report that LGBTQIA+ people use mental health services at 2.5 times the rate of the general population.īeing an ally means being a vocal supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, and this support relates to a person’s actions as well as their words.
interference with chances of long-term relationships and marriage.escalating incidence of depression and suicide.The CDC note that experiencing discrimination can lead to: The CDC note that those who experience familial rejection were more likely to:Įxperiencing discrimination in any setting can have a huge impact on a person’s health. In addition, those who experience same-sex attraction are likely to experience rejection by their families. 19.4% experienced forced sexual intercourse in their lifetime.The 2019 YRBS found that of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth surveyed: The Youth Risk and Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a cross-sectional, school-based survey that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conduct every 2 years.
Heterosexism can also occur at home and in schools.
This means that people may not be receiving culturally competent healthcare. LGBTQIA+ individuals may also find it difficult to tell their clinicians about their sexual identity.Ī study found that 68% of LGBTQIA+ youth stated that they did not report their sexual orientation to their clinicians, while 90% reported having reservations about doing so. Systematic heterosexism can also limit a person’s access to high-quality healthcare and make it difficult to get health insurance. Heterosexism can affect people’s mental and physical health in many ways. How can heterosexism affect a person’s health?