Coping With Anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric and Finding Strength in Community

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by Anna Munhin Jun 6, 2023 News
Coping With Anti-LGBTQ  Rhetoric and Finding Strength in Community

The month of June is Pride Month. Some say that this year's pride celebration is more important than ever because of a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being pushed in state legislatures across the country and conservative backlash over pride marketing efforts by brands.

David Bond Headshot_square_300x300

David Bond is a LCW.

There is an impact on young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer. According to a new survey by The Trevor Project, nearly one in three LGBTQ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time.

David Bond is the director of Behavioral Health at Blue Shield of California and a licensed clinical social worker. The actions are meant to create a stigma.

Having your rights threatened or having your very personhood debated can be traumatizing. Community support and seeking treatment if necessary can help.

How to deal with something.

Bond said to stay grounded. Take a deep breath when you feel overwhelmed. Your mental and physical health can be affected by stress.

Bond and Stelter have suggestions on how to deal with it.

  • Practice regular affirmations - Stelter says daily mindfulness or recurring self-care practice can be a great preventative strategy. 

Don't take your foot off the gas when it comes to keeping your mind and body healthy. It's not the right time to be busy. Carve out time for yourself.

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Nicole Stelter is a doctor.

  • Express your feelings safely - Bond recommends finding trusted people to talk to, whether that be a friend, loved one, mental health professional, or all three. 

Bond says to allow yourself to express your feelings. It is our goal to make sure that we are seen and heard but balanced with conversations about optimism and hope.

  • Curate your social media - These days, a large part of our life happens online and the algorithms that entertain and connect us also predict what we want to see based on what we’ve looked at before. Unfortunately, that means that when we’re feeling down, we can get swept up in a stream of content that just makes us feel worse.

Bond says to make sure your social media is helping you. He suggests that you take the time to be intentional about your accounts. Look for and prioritize content that puts a smile on your face, that celebrates LGBTQ+ people in all our diversity, and that features people you look up to who are taking care of themselves.

  1. Find resources - Even if you don’t have a supportive home environment, you can get great advice from a multitude of mental health organizations and LGBTQ Community Centers online, including programs focused on young people.

The BlueSky program is linked to mental health supports for youth and their parents. The Child Mind Institute collaborated with us on a series of youth mental health guides.

You can reach a counselor at the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline by calling or texting 988. It is a resource for people who are struggling.

Do you want to engage with your community?

Blue Shield of California wants the gay community to know that they are supported. We stand with our employees and members of the community.

You can join Blue Shield of California at pride events.