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ABSTRACT: The LGBTQ community faces specific stressors rooted in societal discrimination, bias, and marginalization, impacting mental health significantly. Persistent discrimination, exclusion, and heteronormative expectations are identified as social determinants that contribute to heightened stress levels, resulting in increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has also severely affected the physical and mental health of a large percentage of the population, particularly impacting the health of marginalized individuals such as LGBT individuals. Studies consistently reveal alarming mental health disparities between LGBTQ individuals and their heterosexual counterparts, with elevated rates of mood disorders, substance abuse, and self-harm. Transgender individuals, in particular, face unique challenges, including high rates of gender dysphoria and discrimination-induced mental distress. The concept of intersectionality within the LGBTQ community emphasizes the compounded burden faced by individuals with multiple marginalized identities, necessitating tailored mental health strategies. The societal context, including legal and policy frameworks, plays a pivotal role in shaping the mental health and scope for LGBTQ individuals. Supportive frameworks, such as anti-discrimination laws, marriage equality, and healthcare policies, contribute to societal acceptance and individual well-being. Additionally, efforts to destigmatize LGBTQ identities, comprehensive sex education, and public awareness campaigns challenging stereotypes are crucial for fostering a more inclusive societal mindset. Establishing robust support networks within the LGBTQ community, including initiatives providing mental health resources, counseling, community spaces, and allyship programs, is vital for community resilience. These efforts not only contribute to the well-being of individuals within the LGBTQ community but also work toward creating a more inclusive society. In conclusion, addressing mental health challenges within the LGBTQ community requires a multifaceted approach involving societal understanding, legal support, destigmatization efforts, and robust community resources. By acknowledging and comprehending the unique struggles faced by the LGBTQ community, society can collectively work toward building a more compassionate, supportive, and inclusive environment for all individuals, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical Scenario: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, a gender (LGBTQIA+) community has a unique set of health care needs and experience barriers to services. Many providers assume these needs are similar to heterosexual counterparts. Investigating experiences and perceptions with health care and recommendations on how to improve care can provide insight for professionals. Clinical Question : What are the perceptions of quality of health care and experiences among the LGBTQIA+ patients? Sumniary of Key Findings : A search was performed for articles exploring perceptions and experiences of LGBTQIA+ patients with health care. Four articles were included. All were Level VI qualitative studies. All demonstrated a lack of cultural competency leading to poor experiences with providers. Common themes included: misgendering, stigmatization, and negative provider attitude leading to poor experiences. Experiences improved if providers used inclusive language. created welcoming environments, and had knowledge/experience about needs of LGBTQIA+ patients. Clinical Bottom Line: LGBTQIA+ patients felt providers lacked adequate knowledge to understand and care for their needs. Future research should include facts contributing to accessing health care services, solutions to these barriers, and increasing geographic areas, Strength of Recommendation: According to the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) scale. there is Level C evidence that LGBTQIA+ patients experience providers who are not adequately prepared to properly care for their unique needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To describe the emotional distress and coping strategies used by a LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) group of migrants in the country of origin and in those of transit and/or destination, and to analyze the intersection with other categories such as nationality, social class, gender, and sexual orientation. Materials and methods. Qualitative study that analyzes the narratives of 25 LGBTQ migrants in mobility through Mexico staying in two shelters located in Mexico City and Tijuana. The information was obtained through semi-structured interviews carried out between October 2021 and June 2022. The meaning categorization technique was used for the analysis of the discursive material. Results. Gender discrimination and sexual orientation are more severe in some Central American countries, the emotional distress generated responds to the intersection between gender, sexual orientation, social class, in a permissive context with organized violence, impunity, violence and regional precariousness. The most used strategies to deal with distress were the search for support and distractions, passive coping and emigration. They are all inefficient because they help temporarily. Conclusions. Emigration is a strategy with a high cost for stability and emotional well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is distressing mental health disorder whose clinical features have been given little investigation among sexual minority gay men. While age and gender differences have been investigated, past quantitative studies have neglected to compare between-group differences in BDD symptomatology between heterosexual and sexual minority samples. This creates a lack of understanding for the lived experiences of BDD in the LGBTQ community, which can be remedied through qualitative research. Before exploring between group differences, this study sought to explore the lived experiences of gay men diagnosed with BDD. Ten self-identified gay men who struggle with BDD were interviewed. A phenomenological approach was used to capture the experiences of participants. As a result, four essential themes emerged from the data: Degrading and Abject Influence of BDD, Culpability of Gay Culture, Intersection of BDD and Gay Culture as a Barrier to Intimacy, and Toxic Masculinity's Impact on Gay Men with BDD. Suggestions for clinical implications and future research implications are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"A Blessing for Home" is a liturgical prayer text seeking protection against sorrow, troubles, disputes, and disasters within the home. Traditionally, this blessing was often displayed on the wall near the front door or inscribed on decorative items and Judaica. It's worth noting that this prayer lacks a specific source or a singular version-something that invites creative versions of this prayer. This essay introduces the "Blessing for a Proud Home" and is accompanied by a reflective discussion outlining my rationale as an ethnographer for composing such a prayer. In this discussion, I engage with sociocultural arguments regarding the essence of the prayer and shed light on the process of its creation, drawing from my sources of inspiration and the challenges faced during its composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LGBTQ college students have historically experienced hostile campus climates during their time in higher education. While there has been advancement in LGBTQ inclusion, many universities and colleges still do not provide adequate support and services for LGBTQ students. This paper used the results from 14 qualitative interviews that explored the lived experiences of LGBTQ college students' experiences of campus support and resources at a public university. Despite the presence of a student organization and the university's commitment to inclusion, I found students wanted more LGBTQ representation and community; experienced homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination; and had mixed feelings about the Safe Zone program. Based on these findings, the paper concludes with proposals for increasing LGBTQ representation, facilitating campus education, and creating inclusive policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to identify facilitators and barriers of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine acceptance, initiation, and completion among LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) individuals. Method: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies on HPV vaccine acceptance, initiation, and completion from 2006 to June 15, 2020 was performed in each database. Results: Twenty-six studies focusing on HPV vaccination among LGBTQ individuals were reviewed. Conclusions: Knowledge of HPV vaccine and healthcare providers' recommendations were identified as facilitators to receive HPV vaccinate, while high co-pay cost and concerns of the effectiveness and safety were identified as barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that LGBTQ individuals are at greater risk of victimization than the average citizen, the LGBTQ community's relationship with law enforcement has been a turbulent one. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, semi-structured interviews and observations of town hall meetings, and following the participatory action research framework, this study examines the interactions between the LGBTQ community and law enforcement, and the perceptions of police within the LGBTQ community. The current study demonstrates how members of the LGBTQ community continue to have negative experiences with police that adversely impact their perceptions of law enforcement. Moreover, the findings underline the importance of examining how multiple identities impact an individual's experiences with and their perceptions of law enforcement. Expanding past research on this topic, this study offers an analysis based upon suggestions of the study's participants of what steps must be taken in order to improve relations between these two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on sexual minorities have shown the positive impact of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer (LGBTQ) community on the well-being of individuals. Few studies, however, have been interested in the role that LGBTQ organizations specifically play. Using a qualitative approach, this article examines individuals' motivations to participate in LGBTQ organizations and how they think such participation impacts their lives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 self-identified LGBTQ adults living in the Andean region of Colombia. Thematic analysis with inductive coding was used, and six themes were identified. Within these, two findings are particularly relevant to the existing literature. First, organizations play an important role as educational spaces where individuals can learn about their sexual identity. Second, organizations can also impact families of origin by promoting a better understanding and acceptance of participants' sexual identity, and by promoting solidarity with LGBTQ community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodeos have been an integral part of American cowboy culture since the 1800s, however, it wasn’t until the 1970s when gay rodeos began to form and challenge some of the assumptions about ‘cowboys,’ ‘sexuality,’ and ‘masculinity.’ The purpose of this ethnographic study was to utilize participant-driven photo-elicitation (PDPE) method to understand how individuals who participate in gay rodeos experience their identities and the meanings they attribute to their participation in this queer subculture. The diverse images shared by the participants illustrate their unique identities and the various meanings they attribute to their participation in gay rodeo. The findings from this study serve to highlight various aspects of the gay rodeo subculture and the role of gay rodeo as a site of support and solidarity for LGBTQ communities. In this study, gay rodeo emerges as a space of contestation, resistance and reification of gender norms and heterosexuality. The findings call into question tensions that exist when trying to dismantle sexual minority stereotypes while simultaneously perpetuating white hegemonic masculinity through the pervasive image of the gay cowboy. Interrogating the ways in which gay rodeo participants simultaneously reinforced and challenged hegemonic masculinity helps to understand how the idealized (hetero)sexual images of cowboys connected to symbolic power, strength and self-worth, position gay rodeo participants. This research study also reveals that participants of gay rodeo, who travel within and across the USA in order to participate in rodeo events, experiment with multiple non-heterosexual identities as they search for spaces and communities away from compulsory heterosexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of this article contend that politics is an integral part of public library leadership. Most of the work that public librarians do is designed to build citizenship knowledge and improve some aspect of social justice. Politics is a library imperative because a heavy percentage of institutional funding is tied to public funding, which is a major part of total library financial support. Political considerations, therefore, are a major concern in acquiring and retaining funding that will bring libraries and their constituents to a brighter future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

What role do texts play in LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) parents’ experiences of disability service systems? In interviews with 15 LGBTQ parents of disabled children in Toronto, Canada, participants selected documents to be used as a focus for discussion. Parents considered how LGBTQ identity and other intersectional identities influenced their experiences of institutional texts including adoption certificates, intake forms, and assessments. Findings suggest that documentation practices can operate as forms of systemic gatekeeping. LGBTQ identity was sometimes very significant in parents’ accounts, and sometimes less central than other aspects of their families' identities and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There are increasing calls for pre-service educators to be responsive and responsible for anti-homophobic education. This research builds on the ongoing efforts to integrate Positive Space training in our two-year Bachelor of Education programme. We found through a series of focus group and individual interviews that pre-service teachers were aware of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queering/Questioning (LGBTQ) oppression, witnessed it in schools, employed a range of strategies, but also experienced challenges due to power dynamics in schools, and may not have recognised the power of their interruptions. Our findings suggest that Positive Space training is valuable and necessary and needs to continue to be explicitly embedded in core courses so that all pre-service teachers, regardless of their discipline, develop the skills and attitudes necessary to be advocates for LGBTQ individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]