Queer People of Color: Polls Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Who really comprises the queer population? According to a 2012 Gallup Poll, of the 121,290 Americans interviewed, 3.4 percent identified as LGBTQ. With respect to racial and ethnic categories, non-whites (4.6 percent African American, 4.0 percent Hispanics, and 4.3 percent Asians) identified as LGBT more than did whites (3.2 percent). And, within this study, more women identified as queer than did men (3.6 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively). Consequently, for this poll, the stereotype that gay equals white, male, and affluent was no longer valid.
Regarding who is and who is not in therapy, the exact number of people of color in these two categories is not available. Many communities shy away from therapy because of experiences and traditions passed down from families. For example, “not wanting people in your business” and “what is done in this house, stays in this house” are common beliefs. Another is the idea that having mental challenges is a sign of weakness and that you have to pull yourself up and find the answer for yourself.
Slowly, queer people of color have increasingly been appearing in popular media, for instance, with shows such as Orange Is the New Black. However, compared with their white counterparts, the number is still significantly low, with respect to how this population is represented.
Gaining Control Starts With You
Where does positive mental health treatment and self-healing start? With you, of course! With all of the pressures that you are experiencing throughout the day—work, relationships, children, health, micro-aggressions—you have to give yourself the gift that you constantly seek. Below are some tips to start building a mental health team that’s just for you!
First, be gentle with yourself
Give yourself time and space to understand, well, you! This is a self-empowering position to take regarding your own health precisely because it’s yours! What feels good and gives you joy? Know your body well enough to take breaks. (I like to encourage my female clients of post-puberty age to monitor their menstrual cycles. Doing so also helps to monitor their mood and energy levels.)
Maybe today is a good day for a “mental health day” from work. Trust your intuition, the small part of yourself deep down that gives you a tingle, a fire, or an inkling of when something is happening. It keeps you safe and mindful about your body and your environment. Professionals may know more about diagnoses, medication management, and therapy, but being and knowing who you are and what you need (or knowing what you don’t need) is an important step when asking for help.
Build a therapeutic, healing community for yourself
Know your worth; you have a right to be affirmed in who you are, just the way you are! Finding the perfect therapist the first time around might difficult. Like any other relationship, give it time to cultivate! Price can also be a factor; the fee for a therapy session could be hundreds of dollars per hour. However, there are ways to keep the cost low. Research your health insurance options, find out about other organizations and agencies, as well as social work and psychology graduate programs that offer onsite therapists either at no cost, or for a low-cost sliding-scale fee.
Also, find groups; spiritual houses, such as churches, synagogues, and temples; meditation spaces; and social organizations that are small and have more intimate settings. Any of these would offer a great way to connect in a healing atmosphere, within your area. Meetup.com is another good to place to explore. Many different types of support groups are available. (Nerdy Lesbians of Color Who Enjoy Comic Books? I’m sure it’s out there!)
And, if you are more introverted and do not feel comfortable being around or interacting with a lot of people, finding resources online could be helpful. Websites that are positive in content may also boost your mood and self-esteem. Also, try visual affirmation: Seeing people who live life the way that you do, or hope to, or dream to is just as important.
Accept the fact that it might get scary and trust that it will get better
Being vulnerable in front of a stranger is a brave task; being open about your faults also opens up your fears. Again, even in individual therapeutic treatment, build a “team of you.” Trust resources and people within your circle and care about yourself enough to let them help you through the tough times.
Shane’a Thomas, LICSW, LCSW-C is a licensed clinical social worker in the Maryland/Washington Metropolitan area and an Adjunct Lecturer for the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work’s Virtual Academic Center (VAC). Thomas specializes in the area of life transitions; bereavement; depression; women’s issues; and various gender, sexual, and alternative lifestyle identities.
