women, who can be heavily impacted by the decisions and actions of the boys and men in their lives and in the general public (51).
Sexual and gender identity Why can this be a risk factor?
Young people who are LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and others) face specific discrimination that increases their risk of poor mental health. What do we need to know? A research project into the mental health of LGBTQIA+ young people reports significantly higher levels of poor mental health (52). Evidence tells us that the following discriminatory experiences can impact the mental health of LGBTQIA+ young people: – Rejection from family members or the family home – Homophobic, bi-phobic, and transphobic bullying inside and outside of school – Hate incidents and hate crimes such as verbal abuse, harassment, and threats of violence – Isolation from peer groups and communities – Stigmatised treatment from GPs and other care professionals – For young adults, direct workplace discrimination in the form of a reduction of working hours, or a job transfer when they choose to reveal their identity – Harassment, such as causing someone to feel humiliated or ashamed because they are transgender or non-binary by referring to them using the wrong pronouns despite correction, or asking very personal questions about their sex life or body (52) For trans youths an additional stressor can be engaging in school sports, which may include gendered uniform and binary organised
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