The term "minority stress" refers to the experiences of discrimination, prejudice, and stigma that members of marginalized groups face on a daily basis.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (+) (LGBTQ+) individuals often report feeling ostracized, excluded, and victimized due to their identities. This can lead to negative health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Social support is an effective strategy for reducing minority stress and enhancing well-being among LGBTQ+ individuals. Social support includes emotional, instrumental, appraisal, and informational support from family, friends, partners, colleagues, community members, and organizations.
Effective strategies of social support include affirmation, validation, acceptance, empathy, and active listening. Affirmation involves acknowledging and celebrating someone's identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, or relationship status without judgment or criticism. Validation involves recognizing someone's feelings and experiences without denying, dismissing, minimizing, or invalidating them. Acceptance means accepting someone for who they are, regardless of their differences. Empathy involves putting oneself in another person's shoes and understanding how they feel without judging or making assumptions. Active listening involves paying attention to someone's words and body language and responding appropriately.
Social support can also take the form of practical help, such as assistance with everyday tasks, transportation, childcare, or financial aid. LGBTQ+ individuals may experience discrimination when seeking employment, housing, medical care, legal services, or other essential resources. Social support providers can advocate on behalf of these individuals and connect them with resources.
Social support providers should avoid making assumptions about a person's identity or relationships.
Assuming that two people must be married because they look similar or sharing personal stories without permission. It is important to use appropriate pronouns, such as she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/their, ze/zir/zirs, xe/xem/xyrs, or any pronoun preferred by the individual.
Providing emotional support does not mean providing therapeutic advice or counseling; instead, it means being there for someone in times of need without expectation or obligation.
Social support is an effective strategy for reducing minority stress and enhancing well-being among LGBTQ+ individuals. Affirmation, validation, acceptance, empathy, active listening, instrumental support, and avoiding assumptions are all key strategies. By promoting inclusivity, understanding, and respect, we can create a more welcoming and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.
What strategies of social support are most effective in reducing minority stress and enhancing well-being among LGBTQ+ individuals?
According to research studies, several factors contribute to an individual's sense of belongingness and overall well-being. One such factor is the availability of social support from family members, friends, peers, and community organizations. Social support can be defined as "a relationship between two people who provide each other with various resources including information, advice, financial assistance, and emotional comfort" (Cohen & Wills, 1985).