Queer wellbeing: The mental health of LGBTQ+ people post-pandemic

People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual/gender minority identities (LGBTQ+) are a historically marginalized population whose health is often at risk. During the COVID-19 pandemic, LGBTQ+ people’s mental health was disproportionately impacted, particularly when compared to heterosexual and cisgender people. Some sub-populations of LGBTQ+ people were impacted more than others, such as bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse people. Depression, anxiety, and stress/distress were the most salient mental health issues, though loneliness, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and COVID-related fears were also prevalent. As a result, LGBTQ+ people used substances, social media, dating apps, and pornography to cope with the pandemic. This presentation will examine these and other mental health issues that LGBTQ+ people experienced, and it will examine what has—and hasn’t—changed since the pandemic. Lastly, this presentation will give recommendations and offer resources that LGBTQ+ people can use to promote positive mental health.