scholarly journals Navigating LGBTQ+ discrimination in academia: where do we go from here?

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Boustani ◽  
Kirk A. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Personal Identity ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Opinion Piece ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Common Observation ◽  
And Mathematics

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and sexually/gender diverse (LGBTQ+) individuals have long been underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and these environments have often been portrayed as spaces in which personal identity does not matter. However, for LGBTQ+ individuals, this means suppressing their gender identity and expression and remaining closeted at work, creating an uncomfortable work environment, and this can affect their performance and mental health. Multiple reports have been published within the last decade investigating the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in science. These reports all highlight a common observation that, at some point in their time within science, the majority of individuals have experienced discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Here, in our opinion piece, we discuss our experiences of being LGBTQ+ in bioscience, the various types of discrimination that LGBTQ+ scientists may face in academia and some of the existing initiatives and campaigns in place to combat this.

scholarly journals Mental health issues and discrimination among older LGBTI people

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1411-1416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Tinney ◽  
Briony Dow ◽  
Phillip Maude ◽  
Rachel Purchase ◽  
Carolyn Whyte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Single Group ◽  
Individual Group ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Lgbt People

LGBT is an acronym used to describe people from diverse sexual orientation or gender identity, people that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. LGBT people do not constitute a single group nor does each individual “group” constitute a homogeneous unity. However, as higher rates of depression and/or anxiety have been observed in older LGBT people, compared to their heterosexual counterparts (Guasp, 2011) there is a need to raise the profile of mental health issues amongst these groups. The additional letter I is also often included in the acronym LGBTI as intersex people are often included as another gender diverse group. However, there is very little research that includes intersex people and none on older intersex people's mental health so this editorial is restricted to consideration of older LGBT people.

Inequalities in women’s medium or low secure mental health settings: a scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-271
Author(s):  
Aile Trumm ◽  
Kristina Brenisin ◽  
Kieran Breen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
High Quality Research ◽  
Dysfunctional Family ◽  
Health Service Provision ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mental Health Settings ◽  
Health Need ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The more disadvantaged members of society generally experience poorer outcomes following the development of mental ill-health. The purpose of this paper is to scope the literature and synthesise findings on the inequalities and mental health within secure mental health settings. Design/methodology/approach Six electronic databases were searched to identify relevant studies. These were included if they examined the association between inequalities and mental health in women’s secure mental health settings. Findings Of the 608 studies reviewed, 14 met the inclusion criteria. In these papers, violence and/or abuse were described as the most prevalent inequalities. The second most frequent group of inequalities identified were socio-economic. Only three published studies researched the impact of ethnicities. Physical health, alcohol abuse and a dysfunctional family upbringing were only mentioned in one of the studies. Gender identity, transitioning and sexual orientation was not considered in any papers. These are areas, which require further investigation to determine their specific impact in this setting. Research limitations/implications This review highlights the dearth of high-quality research-based evidence underpinning an understanding of the impact of inequalities on women in secure mental health settings. The existing studies suggest that inequalities have a very particular impact and that intersectionality plays a key role. Further research is required to further understand how inequalities impact the lives of women in secure mental health settings. Practical implications The inequalities that women experience in relation to mental health need to be further researched in the context of intersectionality. There are also research gaps in terms of gender identity, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. Further primary research using a more complex methodological paradigm is required to explore these factors and their impact on mental health service provision. Social implications The role of inequalities should be considered as part of an overall care package, including the experiences of adverse childhood experiences and this should contribute towards the development of a trauma-based care approach. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to scope literature about inequalities experienced in women’s secure psychiatric settings considering intersectionality.

scholarly journals Community attitudes on genetic research of gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental health

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor R. Thomas ◽  
Dabney Hofammann ◽  
Brooke G. McKenna ◽  
Anna I.R. van der Miesen ◽  
Mark A. Stokes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Biological Basis ◽  
And Gender ◽  
New Research

ABSTRACTBiological sex is an important factor in mental health, and a non-binary view of how variation in sex and gender influence mental health represents a new research frontier that may yield new insights. The recent acceleration of research into sexual orientation, gender identity, and mental health has generally been conducted without sufficient understanding of the opinions of sexual and gender minorities (SGM) toward this research. We surveyed 768 individuals, with an enrichment of LGBTQ+ stakeholders, for their opinions regarding genetic research of SGM and mental health. We found that the key predictors of attitudes toward genetic research specifically on SGM are 1) general attitudes toward genetic and mental health research 2) tolerance of SGM and associated behaviors 3) non-cisgender stakeholder status and 4) age of the respondent. Non-heterosexual stakeholder status was significantly associated with increased willingness to participate in genetic research if a biological basis for gender identity were discovered. We also found that non-stakeholders with a low tolerance for SGM indicated their SGM views would be positively updated if science showed a biological basis for their behaviors and identities. These findings represent an important first step in understanding and engaging the LGBTQ+ stakeholder community in the context of genetic research.

Assessing sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and mental health concerns in tobacco use disorder treatment research: Measurement challenges and recommendations from a Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) pre-conference workshop

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea H Weinberger ◽  
Marc L Steinberg ◽  
Sarah D Mills ◽  
Sarah S Dermody ◽  
Jaimee L Heffner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Tobacco Use Disorder ◽  
Lower Socioeconomic ◽  
Treatment Research ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

Abstract This paper reports on topics discussed at a Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) pre-conference workshop at the 2019 annual SRNT meeting. The goal of the preconference workshop was to help develop a shared understanding of the importance of several tobacco-related priority groups in tobacco use disorder treatment research and to highlight challenges in measurement related to these groups. The workshop focused on persons with minoritized sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation identities; persons with minoritized racial and ethnic backgrounds; persons with lower socioeconomic status (SES); and persons with mental health concerns. In addition to experiencing commercial tobacco-related health disparities, these groups are also underrepresented in tobacco research, including tobacco use disorder (TUD) treatment studies. Importantly, there is wide variation in how and whether researchers are identifying variation within these priority groups. Best practices for measuring and reporting sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, SES, and mental health concerns in TUD treatment research are needed. This paper provides information about measurement challenges when including these groups in TUD treatment research and specific recommendations about how to measure these groups and assess potential disparities in outcomes. The goal of this paper is to encourage TUD treatment researchers to use measurement best practices in these priority groups in an effort to conduct meaningful and equity-promoting research. Increasing the inclusion and visibility of these groups in TUD treatment research will help to move the field forward in decreasing tobacco-related health disparities. Implications Tobacco-related disparities exist for a number of priority groups including, among others, women, individuals with minoritized sexual and gender identities, individuals with minoritized racial and ethnic backgrounds, individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and individuals with mental health concerns. Research on tobacco use disorder (TUD) treatments for many of these subgroups is lacking. Accurate assessment and consideration of these subgroups will provide needed information about efficacious and effective TUD treatments, about potential mediators and moderators, and for accurately describing study samples, all critical elements for reducing tobacco-related disparities, and improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in TUD treatment research.

Psychiatry, psychotherapy and the criminalisation of ‘conversion therapy’ in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-411
Author(s):  
Patrick Parkinson AM ◽  
Philip Morris AM
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Psychiatric Practice ◽  
Conversion Therapy

Objective: To examine laws in three Australian jurisdictions that prohibit therapy to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Conclusions: The laws in Victoria and the ACT provide inadequate protection for clinically appropriate psychiatric practice and may deprive patients of mental health care.

scholarly journals Life under COVID-19 for LGBT+ people in the UK: systematic review of UK research on the impact of COVID-19 on sexual and gender minority populations

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e050092
Author(s):  
Victoria J McGowan ◽  
Hayley J Lowther ◽  
Catherine Meads
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Gender Minority ◽  
Sexual And Gender Minority ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

ObjectiveTo systematically review all published and unpublished evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of UK sexual and gender minority (LGBT+; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex and queer) people.MethodsAny relevant studies with or without comparator were included, with outcomes of: COVID-19 incidence, hospitalisation rates, illness severity, death rates, other health and well-being. Six databases (platforms) were searched—CINAHL Plus (Ovid), Cochrane Central (Cochrane Library), Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Science Citation Index (Web of Science) and Scopus between 2019 and 2020 in December 2020, using synonyms for sexual and gender minorities and COVID-19 search terms. Data extraction and quality assessment (using the relevant Joanna Briggs checklist) were in duplicate with differences resolved through discussion. Results were tabulated and synthesis was through narrative description.ResultsNo published research was found on any outcomes. Eleven grey literature reports found to be of low quality were included, mostly conducted by small LGBT+ charities. Only four had heterosexual/cisgender comparators. Mental health and well-being, health behaviours, safety, social connectedness and access to routine healthcare all showed poorer or worse outcomes than comparators.ConclusionsLack of research gives significant concern, given pre-existing health inequities. Social and structural factors may have contributed to poorer outcomes (mental health, well-being and access to healthcare). Paucity of evidence is driven by lack of routinely collected sexual orientation and gender identity data, possibly resulting from institutional homophobia/transphobia which needs to be addressed. Men are more at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 than women, so using data from trans women and men might have started to answer questions around whether higher rates were due to sex hormone or chromosomal effects. Routine data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity is required to examine the extent to which COVID-19 is widening pre-existing health inequalities.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020224304.

scholarly journals Work-related Stressors and Mental Health Among LGBTQ Workers: Results From a Cross-sectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Mills ◽  
Nathaniel Lewis ◽  
Benjamin Owens ◽  
Adrian Guta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Standard Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Referent Group

Abstract Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals experience high rates of adverse mental health outcomes due to the stressors they experience in families, communities, and society more broadly. Work and workplaces also have the potential to influence these outcomes given the substantial amount of time spent at work, and the ability of work to further influence social and economic wellbeing in this already vulnerable population. This study aims to identify how sociodemographic characteristics and characteristics of work, including industry, work environment and degree of precarity, influence self-reported mental health among LGBTQ people in two Canadian cities.Methods: Self-identified LGBTQ workers ≥16 years of age (n = 531) in Sudbury and Windsor, Ontario, Canada were surveyed. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) to evaluate differences in gender identity, age, income, industry, social precarity, work environment, and substance use among workers who reported poor or neutral mental health, compared with a referent group that reported good mental health.Results: Compared with a referent group with good mental health, LGBTQ workers with poor or neutral mental health had greater odds of: being cisgender women or trans compared with being cisgender men; being aged <35 years compared with ≥35 years; working in low-wage service sectors compared with blue collar jobs; earning <$20,000/year compared with ≥20,000; working in a non-standard work situation or being unemployed compared with working in full-time permanent employment; feeling often or always unable to schedule time with friends due to work; feeling unsure or negative about their work environment; and using substances to cope with work.Conclusions: LGBTQ workers reporting poorer mental health had higher odds of being unemployed or working in jobs that were more precarious and less supportive of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Mental Health, and Bullying as Predictors of Partner Violence in a Representative Sample of Youth

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Eugene Walls ◽  
Brittanie Atteberry-Ash ◽  
Shanna K. Kattari ◽  
Sarah Peitzmeier ◽  
Leo Kattari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Representative Sample

scholarly journals Transition Trajectories: Contexts, Difficulties and Consequences Reported by Young Transgender and Non-Binary Spaniards

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Magalhães ◽  
Marta E. Aparicio-García ◽  
Isidro García-Nieto
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Professional Practices ◽  
Main Current ◽  
Health Field

The transition process can have a significant impact on young transgender and non-binary individuals (TNBI), especially regarding their mental health. As such, this study aimed to explore the encountered difficulties and expectations of 225 young adults, between 14 and 25 years old, who identify themselves as TNBI. Four different aspects were analyzed: difficulties related to the transition process; main current difficulties; if the current difficulties are due to the participants’ sexual orientation or gender identity; and if participants feel the need of changing something in their lives. Several obstacles either before, during or after the transition process were identified; and these obstacles have serious consequences in TBNI’s mental health. Questions regarding legislation, discrimination, transphobia, lack of social support, the pathologization of transgenderism, low self-esteem, anxiety symptomatology, among others, were pointed out by the participants. The narratives collected and analyzed in the present study appear as important inputs to the literature, which can be translated into the basis of further investigations and the improvement of professional practices in the health field.

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