A call to action: Addressing the mental health disparities of LGBTQIA+ Indians

Charu Dhankar; Kriti Vashishtha; Shraddha Tripathi; Ruchi Joshi; Ayushi Tyagi; Meenakshi Joshi; Kirti Shekhawat

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2024069

Keywords:

homosexuals

indian culture

psychological disorders

mental health

Abstract

This article reports the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in India and how it affects their mental health. This is of significance as after the commencement of Section 377 people are starting to become more open about their sexual orientation. Every developing nation should make efforts towards augmenting the mental health of its citizens. LGBTQIA+ individuals in India often face discrimination, harassment, and violence due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. They are subjected to prejudice and are often denied equal opportunities in society, including access to mental health services. Discrimination can lead to higher rates of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. Moreover, there is a lack of research and data on the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals in India, which makes it challenging to develop effective interventions and policies. This article can contribute towards bridging this gap by shedding light on the unique mental health needs and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in India. Our report can also promote awareness about LGBTQIA+ issues and help reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems. Increased discourse about mental health among LGBTQIA+ individuals, will lead to more clarity and help identify ways to address the issues and protect the rights of this vulnerable community.
References
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9. Miller, R. K., O’Neill, D., Pua, Y. K., Atkinson, C. M., Martin, F. H. (2023). Mental health literacy in India and Australia and its relationship to attitudes towards LGBT people. Psychology & Sexuality, 14(1), 1-16.
10. Misra, G. (2009). Decriminalising homosexuality in India. Reproductive Health Matters, 17(34), 20-28.
11. Raveendran, K., Pannikot, D. (2023). Queer Desire and Surveillance Optics: Exploring Foucault’s Panoptic Regime in the Indian Biographical Film Aligarh. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 1-16.
12. Soohinda, G. S., Jaggi, P. S., Sampath, H., Dutta, S. (2018). Depression and its correlates in men who have sex with men (MSM) in India. Indian Journal of social psychiatry, 34(3), 239-244.
13. Verma, J., Triandis, H. C. (2020). The measurement of collectivism in India. In Merging past, present, and future in cross-cultural psychology (pp. 256-265). Garland Science.
14. Wandrekar, J. R., Nigudkar, A. S. (2020). What do we know about LGBTQIA+ mental health in India? A review of research from 2009 to 2019. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 2(1), 26-36.
15. Werner, D. (1979). A cross-cultural perspective on theory and research on male homosexuality. Journal of homosexuality, 4(4), 345-362.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Dhankar, C., Vashishtha, K., Tripathi, S., Joshi, R., Tyagi, A., Joshi, M., & Shekhawat, K. (2023). A call to action: Addressing the mental health disparities of LGBTQIA+ Indians. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 6(5), 2024069. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2024069

[1] Anand, A., Vohra, V. (2022). What helps me cope with work–family conflict at my high-performance work system in India: A thematic analysis of sociocultural factors. Vikalpa, 47(1), 38-52.

[2] Awanis, S., Schlegelmilch, B. B., Cui, C. C. (2017). Asia’s materialists: Reconciling collectivism and materialism. Journal of International Business Studies, 48(8), 964-991.

[3] Ghosh, A. (2022). British Policies towards Homosexuals and the Hijras in Colonial India: An Assessment.

[4] Gonsiorek, J. C. (1982). An introduction to mental health issues and homosexuality. American Behavioral Scientist, 25(4), 367-384.

[5] Furnham, A., Saito, K. (2009). A cross-cultural study of attitudes toward and beliefs about, male homosexuality. Journal of Homosexuality, 56(3), 299-318.

[6] Herek, G. M. (2010). Sexual orientation differences as deficits: Science and stigma in the history of American psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(6), 693-699.

[7] Kumar, S., Gupta, M. (2022). The Discourse of Homosexuality in Indian Scenario. Jodhpur Studies in English, 80.

[8] Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological bulletin, 129(5), 674.

[9] Miller, R. K., O’Neill, D., Pua, Y. K., Atkinson, C. M., Martin, F. H. (2023). Mental health literacy in India and Australia and its relationship to attitudes towards LGBT people. Psychology & Sexuality, 14(1), 1-16.

[10] Misra, G. (2009). Decriminalising homosexuality in India. Reproductive Health Matters, 17(34), 20-28.

[11] Raveendran, K., Pannikot, D. (2023). Queer Desire and Surveillance Optics: Exploring Foucault’s Panoptic Regime in the Indian Biographical Film Aligarh. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 1-16.

[12] Soohinda, G. S., Jaggi, P. S., Sampath, H., Dutta, S. (2018). Depression and its correlates in men who have sex with men (MSM) in India. Indian Journal of social psychiatry, 34(3), 239-244.

[13] Verma, J., Triandis, H. C. (2020). The measurement of collectivism in India. In Merging past, present, and future in cross-cultural psychology (pp. 256-265). Garland Science.

[14] Wandrekar, J. R., Nigudkar, A. S. (2020). What do we know about LGBTQIA+ mental health in India? A review of research from 2009 to 2019. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 2(1), 26-36.

[15] Werner, D. (1979). A cross-cultural perspective on theory and research on male homosexuality. Journal of homosexuality, 4(4), 345-362.

Abstract

References

How to cite