June: It's Pride Month!!

Every June, Pride Month is celebrated to honour the Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal event in 1969 in Manhattan.

You might have encountered acronyms like "LGBT," "LGBTQ," "LGBTQ+ " These letters represent different identities within the community: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other variations that fall under these categories.

With pride month involving the celebration of the rainbow community, acceptance, and being free to be who you are as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, there are many people that openly disagree with the rainbow community and what they stand for and instead judge, discriminate and spread hate.

How Does This Affect Mental Health?

The LGBTQ+ community is among the social groups with the highest need for mental health services. Members of this community are more than twice as likely to experience a mental disorder during their lives, such as anxiety, depression, and substance misuse. This increased risk is partly due to oppressive social factors that affect their daily lives. Restrictions on rights have significantly contributed to the rising demand for mental health services and will continue to do so.

What Can You Do?

As a community member or ally, you can make a difference by advocating for the community, sharing useful information, and if you know someone that is a part of the rainbow community - supporting them and hearing their story.

Admittedly before my degree, I knew very little about pride month and the rainbow community. Through completing my degree and meeting people, I learnt and discovered alot about people, history, approaches, and life. It opened my eyes to the judgement and hate that many LGBTQ+ members face, and it was quite sobering. It is a topic I still have so much more to learn about and am open to learning more about.

If you or someone you know identifies as a part of the LGBTQ+ community and is struggling, there are some places you can reach out to:

OUTLine - 0800 688 5463 or Counselling - OutLine Aotearoa

Rainbow Youth - RainbowYOUTH (ry.org.nz)

Gender Minorities 020 404 92568 or Gender Minorities Aotearoa

InsideOUT - 027 331 4507 or Home - InsideOUT |

If you'd like more information about this topic, access to resources or are wanting to reach out, please email me at: halen@wellbeingcounselling.co.nz