LGBTQ and People with Disabilities

Celebrating LGBTQ Month

This month communities celebrate LGBTQ Pride. The LGBT community, also referred to as LGBTQ+, GLBT, or gay, is a loosely defined group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a common culture and social movements.  These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. 

Supporting Individuals with a Disability in the LGBTQ Community  

In the United States today, approximately 3 to 5 million people in the LGBTQ community have a disability. Often, individuals with disabilities who are a part of the LGBTQ community want to be heard and listened to and not be judged. This allows them to explore their gender and sexuality with healthy guidance, so they can discover who they are. 

Linking individuals with disabilities to LGBTQ resources geared specifically to their needs is essential, as resources aren’t always accessible.  One important step is to increase awareness by medical professionals who may view people with disabilities as non-sexual and may not appropriately address reproductive health care. Decreasing discriminatory practices in health care towards people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is crucial to positive development. 

LGBTQ Acronyms Explained 

LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the term was created to replace the term gay when referring to the community as a whole beginning in about the mid-to-late 1980s. In the late eighties and early nineties, queer became a one-word alternative to the ever-lengthening string of initials, especially when used by radical political groups. 

Statistics About People with Disabilities in the LGBTQ Community  

  • 70% of LGBTQ youth said they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Many people with developmental disabilities who identify as LGBTQ have difficulty accepting their identity. 
  • Suicide and mental health issues are seen more commonly in LGBTQ youth than heterosexual youth. 
  • Many people still assume people with developmental disabilities are asexual.  

 

June is Pride Month 

We celebrate Pride Month in June to show society’s ongoing support to the LGBTQ community. Pride month is dedicated to commemorating the ongoing pursuit of equal justice for the LGBTQ community and celebrating the accomplishments made thus far. Attending LGBTQ events is a great way to offer support and to educate ourselves as we support people with disabilities.