In today's world, many LGBTQ+ youth are dependent financially on their families for their basic needs. This is often due to legal restrictions or societal stigma that prevent them from finding employment or housing. While this dependence may seem like an obvious necessity, it can have significant psychological consequences. In particular, living under unsupportive family members takes a severe toll on one's mental health and emotional well-being.
Living in an environment where one must hide their true identity creates feelings of isolation, loneliness, and fear. It's difficult to build meaningful connections when you don't feel safe being your true self. You might find yourself constantly worrying about what others think of you, even if they don't know anything about your sexual orientation or gender identity.
Financial dependency forces you into situations that are emotionally draining, such as asking for money or feeling guilty for receiving it. These stressors can lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and other forms of psychological distress.
Financial dependency also makes it harder to break free from abusive relationships. If someone is providing financial support, it becomes more challenging to leave a situation that is emotionally or physically harmful. You may feel trapped because you need the financial help to survive. This can make it hard to escape toxic people who take advantage of your vulnerability and use emotional blackmail to keep you around.
Being financially dependent can impact future opportunities. Many LGBTQ+ youth struggle with employment discrimination, so they may not be able to earn enough to support themselves. This leaves them at risk of falling into poverty, which has its own set of problems. Poverty can increase stress levels, limit job prospects, and make it harder to achieve long-term goals like buying a home or starting a family.
The solution? There is no easy answer here, but finding ways to build community outside of your immediate family can be incredibly helpful. Connecting with other queer people through social groups, online communities, or volunteering work can provide a sense of belonging and support. And while financial independence takes time and effort, it can be worth the struggle in the long run.
What psychological toll does financial dependency on unsupportive family members take on the emotional well-being of queer youth?
Financial dependency can lead to emotional stress and strain for queer youth, especially if they are not supported by their family members who have conservative beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity. Studies show that queer individuals face rejection from family members more often than heterosexual ones (Vennum et al. , 2017).