Life Gets Better Together

Gender identity or orientation for people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, may be a point of constant anxiety and stress especially when they are faced with the general stigma that society attaches to them and their minority status

After years of being told that you are heterosexual and nurtured as someone who conforms to the ‘normal’, acceptable or preferred social norms, you may suddenly find yourself standing at crossroads where the path ahead is only strewn with challenges.

Various aspects of life which were once taken for granted including, educational institutes, social events, healthcare facilities and recreational activities, now suddenly seem to be solely designed keeping heterosexuality as a norm and life itself turns into a long uphill battle.

The biggest challenge you are faced with as part of the LGBT community is the never-ending fight to ‘belong’ apart from constantly dealing with an internal conflict that comes with failing to get the recognition, acceptance and right to lead a regular life.

• A staggering proportion of the LGBT population state they have undergone depression, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm and substance abuse
• Most of them have faced discriminatory behaviour, negative comments and unequal treatment in some or the other form at healthcare facilities because of their sexual orientation
• Several have been pressurized to access services that will either suppress their gender identity or alter that sexual orientation

It has been seen that a number of LGBT have preferred to avoid treatments rather than facing discrimination at the hands of healthcare staff. Several have been subjected to abuse by family members because of their identity and some have experienced homelessness as well.