The effects of feelings of acceptance or rejection within units can significantly shape an individual's emotional resilience in a unit that is composed of diverse individuals. Emotional resilience refers to one's ability to cope with stressful situations in life and maintain positive mental health despite adversities.
When a person feels accepted or rejected within their unit, it can impact their emotional resilience.
If a member of the LGBT community experiences discrimination from fellow unit members, they may develop low self-esteem, which affects how they react to negative situations and manage stressors. Therefore, this study will examine the relationship between feelings of acceptance or rejection within units and emotional resilience among members of the LGBT community.
Emotional resilience is essential for people who are open about their sexuality as they face several challenges such as harassment, bullying, social stigma, and prejudice. When a person is emotionally resilient, they can bounce back from these challenges, making them less susceptible to depression and anxiety disorders.
Emotional resilience helps individuals overcome traumatic experiences more quickly. The military has been an institution where there has been a high level of homophobia and transphobia, causing many LGBT personnel to experience rejection and isolation.
Acceptance within a unit plays a significant role in shaping an individual's emotional resilience. Acceptance makes LGBT personnel feel valued and supported, enabling them to build strong relationships with others. Feeling accepted reduces stress levels and improves self-esteem. In contrast, rejection can cause low self-esteem, loneliness, and fear of rejection, all of which impede one's ability to cope with negative life events. Rejected individuals may become more vulnerable to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thus, the presence of supportive peers can boost emotional resilience and improve mental health.
The research shows that when LGBT personnel feels accepted by their unit members, it increases their sense of belongingness, resulting in higher emotional resilience. A study conducted on 364 active duty service members found that acceptance within units positively affects emotional resilience among LGBT personnel. It also showed that acceptance promotes better social support, which is vital for coping with adversities. Therefore, having supportive peers can help LGBT people develop positive attitudes towards themselves, reduce stress levels, and increase feelings of self-worth. On the other hand, rejection leads to increased stress levels, reduced self-esteem, and decreased willingness to seek help from others. This study confirms that acceptance within the military unit has a direct relationship with improved emotional resilience among LGBT individuals.
This article has explored how feelings of acceptance or rejection within units shape emotional resilience in LGBT personnel. Acceptance within units positively impacts an individual's emotional resilience because it improves self-esteem, reduces stress, and enhances social support. Conversely, rejection negatively affects emotional resilience by lowering self-esteem and increasing stress levels. The findings suggest that inclusivity policies should be implemented in military institutions to foster acceptance, enhance psychological wellbeing, and promote healthy relationships among unit members.
In what ways do feelings of acceptance or rejection within units shape emotional resilience in LGBT personnel?
Research has shown that individuals with an LGBT identity may experience greater social exclusion and discrimination than their cisgender heterosexual peers due to prejudice and lack of understanding about gender and sexual identities (Cochran et al. , 2019).