LGBTQ teens depression and suicide
rates have become much more present and popular in the media. We are constantly
reminded of the pain from another gay teen who was bullied into suicide.
However, it is important to acknowledge that gay teens are not the only ones
with higher rates of depression then their heterosexual counterparts; this is
also true of the baby boomer generation. 4 out of ten LGBTQ adults surveyed in
the article “Gay, Lesbian Older Adults
Face Adversity, Depression” stated they had thought of suicide and they
report higher rates of physical and mental disabilities, depression and
loneliness. (Melina, 2011). LGBTQ members face homophobia both during their
youth and well into adult hood, which can cause long-term psychological
illness.
The baby boomer generation came from
1946-1964, and as they came into society there was huge unrest against
homosexuality. There was an increase of police brutality and socially, being
LGBTQ, was a death sentence. (Rubin, 20). The stigma was impossible to escape.
Being openly gay in this time period meant losing your friends, family, job and
even your life. “The vast majority of
homosexuals had to choose between honest poverty and the strain of maintaining
a false identity” (Rubin, 21) Growing up in that era cause deep mental scaring,
where these feelings of "not belonging" embedded in their psyche.
These feelings can stay with them through adulthood.
Another causation of depression in the
older LGBTQ group is modern discrimination. Homophobia is still very present in
modern society. “One third of teens report that’s students are harassed due to
perceived or actual sexual orientation” (Stein, 32) Its not hard to imagine
that this discrimination also extends to the older crowd, after all, teens
often learn these homophobic views from their parents. The article notes 80
percent of the participants had been victimized and
discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or gender
identity (Melina, 2011). Feeling out-casted or uncomfortable in society can
lead to long lasting depression. A study at the UCLA Williams Institute found
that “Minority stressors were significantly
associated with mental health, heightening depressive symptoms.” It goes
on to establish that stressors in older gay peoples are significantly higher
because discrimination has “impacted
their ability to be financially secure and independent.” (Ford,2012).
Being a member of the LGBTQ community has
many wonderful aspects, but also, many difficulties. We are constantly reminded
to wear purple to remember the gay teens that have committed suicide because of
bullying, but its important to understand that the depression and suicidal
thoughts do not stop in youth. Discrimination as a youth can cause mental
health problems that carry into adulthood and, even in this modern age, LGBTQ
adults still face homophobia. The media spreads a message of “it gets better”
but until homophobia is eliminated from society, LGBTQ members of all ages will
face depression and other mental health disorders at much higher rates then
their heterosexual counters. Instead of falsely telling teens that it will get
better, we should instead focus our efforts on actually making it better and
spreading awareness of the plight of ALL members of the LGBTQ community.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ford, Zack. "STUDY: Stigma Harms
Older Gay Men's Mental Health, But Marriage Equality Helps." ThinkProgress.
20 Jan. 2012. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. <http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/01/20/407500/study-stigma-harms-older-gay-mens-mental-health-but-marriage-equality-helps/?mobile=nc>.
Melina, Remy. "Gay, Lesbian Older
Adults Face Adversity, Depression |." Live Science. 17 Nov. 2011.
Web. 09 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.livescience.com/17074-homosexual-seniors-aging-distress.html>.
Rubin, Gayle. “Thinking Sex: Notes for a
Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality”. Social Perspectives in Gay and
Lesbian Studies. Ed. Peter Nardi and
Beth Schneider.
Stein, Nan. “Bullying, Harassment and
Violence among Students” Radical Teacher No. 80 “Teaching Beyond
Tolerance” Winter 2007, 30-35.
The LGBTQ community faces a grappling amount of tension and problems because of how society treats individuals with homosexual tendencies. One of the biggest and most tantalizing concerns is LGBTQ mental health. Being openly gay can cause ostricization from peers and loved ones, bullying and violence, and this results in the declination of mental health, which inevitably leads to depression. As Chloe points out, openly admitting one is gay meant losing friends and family, a job, and basically any life you had. Depression is a serious mental condition and should not be taken lightly; it is one of the most threatening mental health problems in the world because it can cause death by committing suicide. LGBTQ depression and suicide rates have recently been popularized due to the news media and entertainment industry. For example, Lady Gaga dedicated a performance of her single “Hair” to Jamey Rodemeyer, a gay teenager from Buffalo who committed suicide because of constant bullying from school peers. Gays who are open about their sexuality are at risk of being bullied and harassed. This kind of mental destruction of a young teen’s mentality can really damage their psyche. LGBTQ individuals have suffered dramatically from depression and other mental health issues. Homophobia will continue to debilitate LGBTQ individuals until homosexuality can be fully incorporated and accepted in our society.
ReplyDeleteIt had never occurred to me that depression will extend well into one’s older age. I have focused a lot of my attention in depression amongst LGBTQ health and the life threatening effects it has on them, but I can’t forget that the older LGBTQ community may suffer from depression. The depression can be traced back to their young teen years, recently coming out and being rejected by those close to them, or simply having that feeling of being an “outcast” according to societal norms. Depression is a real thing, and it could be lethal at any age or it can cause severe mental issues. As Rubin describes in his article “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality,” “According to the mainstream media and popular prejudice, the marginal sexual worlds are bleak and dangerous. They are portrayed as impoverished, ugly, and inhabited by psychopaths and criminals. Society plays a big role in not accepting homosexuality, society is afraid of change and things being different. It is human nature to be afraid of change, of what is different than you, of what makes you uncomfortable. However, society need to also learn how to accepting of others and things that are different than them.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfair that the LGBTQ community is subject to higher rates of suicide and more mental illness, just because their identity isn't accepted by some of society. Their personal choices shouldn't cause them to have a greater chance of not obtaining happiness and acceptance. The media needs to show more of how the LGBTQ community is negatively affected, and hopefully this would lead to suicide and depression rates going down. Just as recently as the 1960s, LGBTQs were severely prosecuted for embracing their true identity. They had to hide their true selves from everyone they knew, and always be constantly afraid that one slip could cause them to lose everything they'd worked for. Smith states, "homophobia is usually the last oppression to be mentioned, the last to be taken seriously, the last to go" (p. 77). It would be horrible to have to live life as someone else because that's the only way to be accepted by the judgmental world. Discrimination and bullying causes people to be stressed out, afraid, and lonely, and may lead to mental illness, such as depression. Depression with then negatively affect every aspect of their lives, taking away their motivation and making them feel sad and alone. The LGBTQ community shouldn't have to be subject to such high suicide rates; social change needs to occur.
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