Much of the trauma that specifically affects LGBTQIA+ folks come from a lack of acceptance and hostility toward these identities in society and politics.
According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, trauma in LGBTQIA+ youth can include:
- bullying
- harassment
- traumatic loss
- intimate partner violence
- physical and sexual abuse
- traumatic forms of societal stigma, bias, and rejection
The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey reports that 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth have been physically threatened or harmed due to their identity.
Further, many people experience rejection from their families or loved ones when they come out. An estimated 29% of LGBTQ youth have been kicked out of their homes, run away, or become homeless.
Taken from: https://psychcentral.com/lib/lgbt-suicide-and-the-trauma-of-growing-up-gay#growing-up-lgbtqia
Gender, Sex, and Identity Information and Language
Society typically tells us that there are two sexes: male and female. You may also be familiar with the fact that some people are intersex, or have a difference of sexual development (DSD). DSD is used to describe chromosomes, anatomy, or sex characteristics that can’t be categorized as exclusively male or female.
As with names and pronouns, it’s important to refer to people in the manner that they prefer. Some people are comfortable with the term “intersex” and use it to describe themselves. Others have moved away from using this term and refer to their condition as a DSD.
Society has traditionally taught us that there are two genders: man and woman. We’re told that those who are assigned male at birth are men and those who are assigned female at birth are women. But gender isn’t an either/or scenario. It’s a spectrum.
Some people identify as nonbinary, an umbrella term for people whose gender identities don’t align with the man-woman binary. Others identify as bigender, meaning they identify as both men and women at varying points, or agender, meaning they don’t identify with any gender.
Ultimately, the concepts of gender and sex are socially constructed. This means that we as a society assign sex and gender to people based on socially agreed-upon characteristics.
This doesn’t mean that body parts and functions are “made up” — it just means that the way we categorize and define each of these things could actually be different.
Gender identity is your own personal understanding of your gender and how you want the world to see you.
Instead of making assumptions about how a person identifies, check in with the people you meet about their gender identity. Offer up your pronouns and ask what pronouns they use — and then use them.
Most of us possess both masculine and feminine traits. This means that someone who considers themselves to have a fairly normative gender identity can still fall closer towards the middle in terms of gender expression.
Taken from: Sex vs. Gender: What’s the Difference? (healthline.com)