Pride as Advocacy: Honoring LGBTQIA+ Voices in Mental Health Care

June is Pride Month—a time for celebration, visibility, and honoring the legacy of LGBTQIA+ advocacy and resilience. We know Pride is not just a parade or a flag—it's an ongoing movement toward liberation, equity, and healing. As mental health providers offering LGBTQIA+ affirming care, Pride is both personal and political. It calls us to examine how we show up as advocates not only in our practice, but in our communities.

Pride Means Showing Up

Mental health disparities are real and deeply rooted for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The Trevor Project’s 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that 41% of LGBTQIA+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, with even higher rates among transgender and nonbinary youth. At the same time, LGBTQIA+ youth who had access to affirming spaces and providers reported significantly lower rates of suicide attempts.

These numbers are not abstract—they’re a call to action.

As mental health professionals, being affirming isn’t a passive stance. It means:

• Actively unlearning biases and assumptions.

• Creating safety by using correct names and pronouns, and understanding the unique stressors LGBTQIA+ people face.

• Challenging systemic harm, including anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, healthcare discrimination, and community-level violence.

• Centering joy and resilience, not just trauma, in our work with LGBTQIA+ clients.

What LGBTQIA+ Affirming Care Looks Like

Affirming care is more than inclusion—it’s liberation-focused. In our practice, this includes:

• Conducting regular training on LGBTQIA+ mental health topics, including trauma, minority stress, and intersectionality.

• Including clients’ identities in treatment planning, not as problems to be fixed but as strengths and sources of pride.

• Holding space for grief, rage, joy, and complexity—especially for trans, nonbinary, Black, Indigenous, and other queer people of color.

• Partnering with LGBTQIA+ organizations for referrals, mutual aid, and systemic advocacy.

 Being an Advocate Every Day

You don’t need to be LGBTQIA+ to be part of this work. If you're a provider, ally, or/and loved one, here are some ways to engage in active advocacy:

• Listen deeply to LGBTQIA+ voices, especially youth, BIPOC, and trans individuals.

• Support legislation that protects LGBTQIA+ rights and oppose policies that aim to erase or criminalize queer and trans lives.

• Donate or volunteer with organizations doing vital work on the ground.

• Educate yourself and others—the burden should not be on LGBTQIA+ individuals to explain or defend their existence.

• Celebrate queer joy. Advocacy isn’t just defense—it’s also celebration.

What Pride Means To Me by Ariana Brown

My name is Ariana, and my pronouns are she/they. When I think of pride, I think of freedom of expression, inclusion, and community. I also think about the people who came before me and fought for my right to exist as I am. I am so appreciative of their courage and the love they had for all of us in the community.

Ariana’s Favorite Quotes:

1.        “Darling, I want my gay rights now.”

– Marsha P. Johnson

2.        “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

– E.E. Cummings

National LGBTQIA+ Mental Health & Advocacy Resources

Here are trusted organizations doing incredible work to support LGBTQIA+ mental health and rights:

Mental Health & Support Services

• The Trevor Project – Suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth.
  https://www.thetrevorproject.org

• Trans Lifeline – Peer support and crisis hotline by and for trans people.
  https://translifeline.org

• LGBT National Help Center – Free and confidential support lines for youth, seniors, and general LGBTQ+ community.
  https://www.lgbthotline.org

• Q Chat Space – Live, chat-based, adult-facilitated support groups for LGBTQ+ teens.
  https://www.qchatspace.org

Research & Policy

• The Trevor Project 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health
  https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024

• GLSEN Research Reports – Focused on school climate and LGBTQ+ student experiences.
  https://www.glsen.org/research

• Human Rights Campaign Foundation – Reports on healthcare, workplace equality, and youth safety.
  https://www.hrc.org/resources

• The Williams Institute (UCLA) – Leading research on LGBTQ demographics, mental health, and public policy.
  https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu 

Training & Provider Directories

• National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network – Training and community for QTBIPOC therapists.
  https://www.nqttcn.com

• Therapy for Queer People of Color
  https://www.therapyforqpoc.com

• Inclusive Therapists – Directory of affirming, culturally responsive mental health providers, and where you can also find our practice listed.
  https://www.inclusivetherapists.com

• Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

  https://www.actioncanadashr.org/gender-and-sexuality-galaxies

• What is Asexuality?

  https://www.whatisasexuality.com/intro/

Final Thoughts

Pride is a protest. Pride is a celebration. Pride is mental health advocacy.

At Sunglow Counseling, we’re honored to support the LGBTQIA+ community every day—not just in June. We believe healing happens in safe, affirming relationships. We’re here to listen, to learn, and to act.

Whether you’re out and proud, questioning, or simply surviving right now, we see you. You belong here. Your story matters.

If you're looking for LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, our team is here for you. Reach out anytime—you're not alone.