happy pride month!

6/19/23

happy pride month cherubs!

**this blog is dedicated to my angel bisexual bestie, you know who you are <3**

what is pride month?

pride month is a month long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community & their achievements through activities such as pride parades, protests, awareness events and other activities throughout the month where the community and their supporters can gather together.

the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies aim to increase awareness, break stigma, and shine light on ongoing issues on inequality to their community and commemorate to those lives that have been lost to the hate crimes of these people.

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why do we celebrate pride month in June?

pride month is celebrated specifically in June for a special reason, in honor of the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.

when this Uprising happened, being openly gay was prohibited. on June 28th, 1969, the Stonewall Inn decided to stand their ground against this discrimination and police which lead to days of riots and protests, which we now know as the Stonewall Uprising.

historically, pride month didn't exist as a month, but as a single day "gay pride day" observed on the last Sunday of the month of June. through time and awareness, more and more activities were planned throughout the month and in 1999 President Bill Clinton declared June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

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what is the symbol of pride?

the well-known symbol of pride month is a rainbow flag created by Gilbert Baker. His interpretation of the flag is the "rainbow of humanity" and each of the six colors has a significance of: life, healing, sunlight, nature, serenity, and spirit.

colors such and black, brown, baby blue, and light pink have been added as representation of: people of color and transgender individuals.

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the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning plus community represents a unique yet challenging, diverse community. for those in this community, it is important to recognize how your sexual orientation and gender identity relate to your mental health.

often times, the LGBTQIA+ community suffers significantly more than the general population from mental health issues because of the discrimination, stigma, and prejudice surrounding their lifestyle. statistics show that LGBTQIA+ individuals are twice as likely to experience a mental health condition opposed to a heterosexual individual. those who are transgender are nearly four times as likely to experience mental health conditions opposed to cisgender individuals.

the minority stress of being apart of the LGBTQIA+ community can contribute to an individual's mental health condition that stems from family rejection, societal homophobia/transphobia, or lack of legal protections.

when an individual is apart of the LGBTQIA+ community and apart of another minority such as: a person of color, has a disability, or low socioeconomic status, this is called intersectionality. this may cause a compounded mental health disparity due to the overlapping systems of discrimination and oppression.

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there are many ways to make sure that the mental health of an individual of the LGBTQIA+ community is thriving and is well taken care of:

it is essential to create an inclusive and affirming environments to support your mental well being. social support and acceptance from family, friends, and communities have shown to have a positive impact on the mental health of those of the LGBTQIA+ community.

it is important that we allow access to gender affirming care for the LGBTQIA+ community by decreasing the high barriers of healthcare services including: discrimination, lack of culturally competent care, and inadequate insurance coverage.

by fostering supportive communities, providing access to mental health resources, and promoting acceptance, we can help nurture and amplify the resilience and strength of the LGBTQIA+ community.

mental health professionals who are knowledgeable about LGBTQIA+ issues play a crucial role in providing effective care. providing affirming therapy which respects and validates their identities and experiences, can significantly benefit the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

recognizing and celebrating diversity is essential for promoting mental health and well-being within the community. the LGBTQIA+ community encompasses a wide range of identities and experiences, which is reason to celebrate.

and finally, ongoing advocacy efforts are crucial to address the mental health disparities faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. these efforts include promoting inclusive policies, reducing stigma, and increasing access to affirming mental health services.

with all of these ideas in mind, we could create a beneficial society for not only the LGBTQIA+ community, but our society as a whole.

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please remember, pride month isn't the only month that we should recognize that there are individuals still scared to come out in fear of judgment or fear of disownment or other reasoning. we should be willing to talk about and support anyone who needs it all year round.

this is a safe place with no room for shame or judgment and if there is any hate, please take it elsewhere (:

remember, you deserve to be here

xx Loryn