a bisexual South Asian woman may have an anxiety disorder and be living in poverty). Intersectionality refers to an approach by which intersecting experiences of marginalization and the needs of the whole person are considered. There are multiple ways that intersectionality impacts the mental health of LGBTQ people. LGBT people and the DSMĭue to homophobia and transphobia, LGBTQ identities have been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM).Īdditionally, an individual with a mental health condition who is also an LGBTQ person may face added challenges in accessing mental health services that are appropriate and inclusive and may face discrimination on the basis of both disability and sexual orientation.įor example, LGBTQ people may experience other forms of marginalization – such as racism, sexism, poverty or other factors – alongside homophobia or transphobia that negatively impact on mental health. The DSM is a classification of mental health conditions (termed mental disorders) published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The first edition of the DSM was published in 1952, and multiple revised editions have been released since. In 19, due to growing evidence and protest, a majority of APA membership agreed to remove homosexuality from the manual.
