Pride month may be nearly over, but inclusivity matter all year long. But why ?
I believe gays, lesbians, and queers are not living a lifestyle. They are living their lives as the human beings they were born to be. It’s not seasonal or something cool. So as we approaching the end of June, here are five reasons Pride deserves more than one month :
1. Everybody should feel comfortable and safe being themselves wherever they are
As of November 2020, 69 countries in the world continues to criminalise same-sex consensual activities. And in many places, breaking these laws could be punishable by long prison sentences.
Interestingly, many of the laws criminalising homosexual relations originate from colonial times. Out of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth – a loose association of countries most of them former British colonies – 36 have laws that criminalise homosexuality. Countries that criminalise homosexuality today also have criminal penalties against women who have sex with women, although the original British laws applied only to men.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga) monitors the progress of laws relating to homosexuality around the world. It says the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for same-sex sexual acts in Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and in the northern states in Nigeria.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
2. People still think it is better to kill themselves than to be gay.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34 in the United States. In 2019, around 23 percentTrusted Source of LGB youth attempted suicide versus 6 percent of heterosexual youth.
Compared to heterosexuals, the report found gay men who killed themselves were likelier to have had a diagnosed mental health condition, a history of suicidal thoughts or plans, an argument before death and a crisis around the time of death. Like gay men, lesbians were also likelier than heterosexuals to have had a diagnosed mental health condition prior to suicide and were likelier to have tried to signal their desire to attempt suicide before doing so
Pride month is important because someone today still believes they are better off dead than being themselves
Similarly, one 2011 studyTrusted Source suggests that LGBTQ adults also have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders and are at a higher risk for suicidal behavior than heterosexual adults. Depression in LGBTQ adults is usually rooted in discrimination, stigma, and victimization from childhood and adolescence. According to a 2015 report, 20 percent of transgender people avoided or postponed receiving healthcare out of fear of discrimination. More comprehensive research on transgender people is still lacking.
3. Only 29 countries in the world where same-sex marriage is legal
There are currently only 29 countries that allow same-sex couples to marry : Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay.
Same-sex married couples in many of these 29 countries do not share all of the same rights and benefits as different-sex married couples, such as the right to adoption. In some countries, same-sex couples also experience additional restrictions. For example, in Taiwan same-sex marriage is only available to Taiwanese citizens or a citizen of a foreign country that recognizes same-sex marriage who seeks to marry a Taiwanese citizen.
4. LGBTQIA people are three times more likely to experience violent victimisation
It’s no secret that people within LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to experience challenges with their mental health. for instance, this is largely due to the oppression and discrimination they may encounter at school, at home, and in their wider community. Extreme cases of rejection or discrimination have also led to physical and psychological abuses. This has not only increased the risk of mental health issues amongst LGBTQ+ individuals, but also increased their incidence of suicide attempts.
More studies also shows that Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and those perceived as LGBTQ are at an increased risk of being bullied. Bullying puts youth at increased risk for depression, suicidal ideation, misuse of drugs and alcohol, risky sexual behavior, and can affect academics as well. For LGBTQ youth, that risk is even higher.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, LGBTQ youth are less likely to have family to whom they can turn for help, which can make it difficult to get treatment for substance abuse. Some may turn to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate or to manage the pain of rejection and bullying.
5. Higher (financial and emotional) costs for LGBTQIA couple to start family
LGBTQ+ couples face immense hurdles and cface steep challenges in forming their families; both via adoption or artificial reproduction.
As same-sex marriage is still legally voided across the world, couples face difficulties in being recognised as legal parents of their children. Similarly with artificial reproduction, from artificial insemination for women, to surrogacy for men. For most LGBTQ+ couples who use artificial reproduction methods, it’s tricky to get both partners legally recognised as parents.
All in all, we still have a long way to go. Maybe because of this, we need more than one month to strive and stand up for LGBTQ rights inside and outside. Maybe we need 365 days a year. Maybe we need pride until everyone is truly treated equal and feel safe in this society.
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