Recognizing and Celebrating Pride Month

Pride Month is an observance that takes place every June. It’s a mix of celebration, education, and activism. It’s an opportunity for LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate who they are, their culture, and their contributions to society. It’s also an opportunity for everyone to gain a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ+ community, their history, and ongoing challenges.

June was selected for Pride Month in 1970 because it observed the first anniversary of the “Stonewall Uprising,” an event that took place at a gay bar in Greenwich Village in 1969.

Today, that uprising is viewed as a turning point for the LGBTQ+ community, providing greater visibility to unfair laws and biases and the continued need to advocate for equal rights and opportunities.

While much has changed in the 54 years since that event, recent studies show that LGBTQ+ individuals are much more likely to experience mental health challenges than the rest of the population.

As The Trevor Project explains, LGBTQ young people are not inherently prone to mental health struggles and suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather they are placed at a higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.

Here are some of the findings from the “2023 National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People”:

41% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
67% of LGBTQ+ young people reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
54% of LGBTQ+ young people reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
56% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care were unable to get it.

We want to use Pride Month to remind everyone that your Assistance Program is here to support LGBTQ+ individuals, their family members, colleagues, and organizations. To learn about these services, please visit member support.