LGBTQ health - Statistics & Facts
Although society has become more accepting of different gender identities and sexual orientations, members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) communities face ongoing stigma and discrimination. Increased internal and external stressors contribute to the social and health disparities present in this subpopulation. The experience of minority stress can have a number of negative consequences on health and functioning for LGBTQ members of all ages, including increased risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes and dangerous health behaviors. For example, the risk of suicide is alarmingly high among young gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults and surveys show that almost half of transgender and non-binary youth in the U.S. have considered suicide within the past year.
