Self-Care and Empowerment During Pride (& Always)

Celebrating Pride Month is a joyous occasion to honor the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community and to foster safe spaces where queer individuals can be visible, recognized, and celebrated. While it is important to celebrate pride, we also need to hold space for the disproportionate challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face in daily life, including difficult conversations around mental health.

Individuals in the LGBTQ+ community are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions – especially depression and anxiety disorders. LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition and transgender individuals are four times as likely as cisgender individuals to experience a mental health condition. Mental Health America reported that 4.5% of the U.S. population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Of those, 39% have reported experiencing mental illness in the past year which translates to roughly 5.8 million people.[1] These conditions are further exacerbated by the discrimination, prejudice, denial of civil and human rights, harassment, and family rejection that LGBTQ+ individuals face. These factors can lead to worsened symptoms, particularly for those with intersecting marginalized racial or socioeconomic identities [2].

In addition to celebrations, self-care and empowerment for LGBTQ+ individuals are also an important part of Pride Month. Engaging in self-care can sometimes feel daunting with endless to-do lists and other obligations competing for our time. Making time for ourselves can almost feel selfish or wrong but that could not be further from the truth. Making time, even if it is only 10 minutes a day, to focus on things that rejuvenate us is the loudest way we can love ourselves and ultimately show up better for others. After all, we cannot pour from an empty cup. Finding ways to recharge and take care of our physical and mental health is important for overall wellbeing and life satisfaction.

Unsure of where to get started? Make a self-care plan unique to your needs[3]!

Here are a few ways to observe self-care and empowerment this pride:

• Reconnect with your body through movement and nutrition.
• Prioritize time to rest and recharge
• Find community where you feel seen, supported, and celebrated
• Participate in advocacy and activism (to your level of comfort)
• Find healthy ways to feel and express your emotions
• Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy however that may look for you (artwork, Pride events, queer movies/tv shows, queer literature)

This Pride, as we celebrate the beautifully unique aspects of our identities, let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and prioritize what makes us feel happy, healthy, and thriving.

Resources for LGBTQ+ folks:

Self-care Podcasts

Mental Health Resources for LGBTQ+

Educational Resources for Allies

What is Queer Joy?

50+ Self-Care Tips

[1] LGBTQ+ Mental Health: What you need to know | mclean hospital. (n.d.). https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/lgbtq-mh

[2] LGBTQ+. NAMI. (2024, February 12). https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/LGBTQ/

[3] Sparks, K. (2021, September 10). Holiday self-care tips for LGBTQ youth. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/holiday-self-care-tips-for-lgbtq-youth/

Julie Jasewicz joined FMP in May 2023 as a Human Capital Intern and now works as a Consultant I on NSF’s Learnging & Development Team. Julie graduated from George Mason University with a Master of Arts in IO psychology and is originally from the Adirondack mountain region in New York. Julie is passionate about cooking, travel and is a loving cat mom to her kitten Winter.