HEALTH
LGBTQ Native Americans Face Health Disparities
At least 43 percent of LGBTQ American Indian, Alaskan Native women have depression
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
A new report from the
Williams Institute at
UCLA Law School reveals
elevated levels of
mental health issues, barriers to
healthcare access, and violence
targeting LGBTQ American Indians
and Alaska Natives (AIAN).
The fi ndings, published ahead of
Native American Heritage Month
in November, show that approximately
35 percent of AIAN LGBTQ
adults living in the US have been
diagnosed with depression compared
to 23 percent of non-LGBTQ
AIAN adults. Furthermore,
the report emphasized that the
queer AIAN population is more
likely to face heightened levels of
stress and discrimination due to
their sexual orientation and gender
identity.
“More AIAN LGBT adults than
non-LGBT adults disagreed with
the statement ‘You always feel safe
and secure,'” researchers wrote.
“These differences are strongest
among AIAN-only women and
AIAN-multiracial men and women.”
The research also points to
gender-based differences in the
population’s struggles with mental
health. According to the report, at
least 43 percent of LGBTQ AIAN
women have been diagnosed with
depression when compared to
25 percent of LGBTQ AIAN men.
The Sovereign Bodies Institute
released a report during the pandemic
Women face disproportionate rates of discrimination and economic disparities among Native American populations in the United States.
revealing that American Indian
women, girls, and Two-Spirit
communities are calling for more
mental health providers that identify
with the experiences of the
American Indian population.
The report indicated that additional
stressors, such as a lack
of health insurance, make it even
harder to cope with these issues.
According to the report, 25 percent
of LGBTQ AIAN adults are
uninsured when compared to 20
percent of their cisgender and heterosexual
counterparts. LGBTQ
AIAN adults who have insurance
are more likely to receive Medicaid,
and fewer report having a personal
doctor.
AIAN LGBTQ adults have also
faced discrimination based on
sexual orientation or gender identity.
According to the report, 81
percent of AIAN LGBTQ adults reported
that they faced daily acts of
homophobic or transphobic bias,
while 57 percent have experienced
physical or sexual assault. According
to the report, 81 percent said
they had encountered verbal assault
or abuse.
Researchers compiled data for
this study using the Gallup-Sharecare
Well-Being Index Survey, the
Generations Study, and the Trans-
Pop Study, a survey measuring the
experiences of transgender people
in the US. Out of the estimated
285,000 AIAN LGBT adults living
in the US, 161,000 people identifi
ed only as AIAN, while 124,000
REUTERS/EMILIE RICHARDSON
were multiracial. Overall, AIAN
LGBT adults tend to skew younger
and account for a small percentage
of the AIAN adult population.
Despite high levels of violence
and stress, the report notes that
LGBTQ AIAN adults have support
circles that can help them bounce
back from these challenges. According
to the report, 55 percent
of AIAN cisgender LGB adults said
they felt connected to the LGBT
community, while 37 percent of
AIAN transgender adults reported
a similar experience.
Experts noted that their data
did not fully encompass two-spirit
heterosexual communities, nor did
their fi ndings explain how these
disparities develop.
“Nonetheless, the fi ndings illuminate
areas where the self-identifi
ed AIAN LGBT subpopulation
may be in need of or impacted by
policy and services interventions,
particularly related to improving
conditions for economic stability,
safety from violence, and mental
health,” researchers said.
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