The Community’s Blindspot: Indigenous LGBTQ+ People
Before we begin, I want to acknowledge that I am not aware of all aspects of Indigenous communities. Based on my research, I have decided to use the term Indigenous people(s) instead of other terms. I have researched Indigenous LGBTQIA+ mental health and use only evidence-based studies and firsthand reports. If I make a mistake, call it out in the comments. I will happily edit it. However, I quote some outside sources. I cannot correct those statements.
Now, let us dive in. We discuss the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community in terms of race, religion, values, and, of course, orientation and identity. Advocates often point out that we are not the same just because we are all sexual and gender minorities. We are individuals with unique interests, lifestyles, and personalities. However, that conversation seldom includes any mention of the Indigenous population within the community.
Racism and ethnic discrimination are issues within the LGBTQIA+ community as much as they are within the cisgender/heteronormative community. Unfortunately, the problem transcends the differences between humanity’s different sub-groups. It is present everywhere and among every group. Nevertheless, the fact that the LGBTQIA+ community tends to be biased or simply ignorant of Indigenous peoples is extremely ironic given the fact that the community puts forth a message of all-inclusive acceptance. Sadly, it’s also extremely harmful.
Today we will discuss why this issue occurs, how the mental health of the Indigenous LGBTQIA+ community is affected by it, and what we can do to help.
Societal Influences
If you are not aware of the horrible history between America and Indigenous communities, I have a strongly worded email for your history teachers. The origin of the problem goes back to the 1600s during what is known as the First Encounter. For the sake of my word count, I will very briefly describe why the division started and still exists:
Foreign people broke into a house, decided they liked it and wanted it, murdered, raped, tortured, or enslaved the people who lived in that house, and then proceeded to act like the original homeowners were the crazy ones for the rest of history.
So yeah, some animosity is to be expected.
Even though we have progressed as a society overall, the Indigenous population is still recovering and suffering from colonization. The system, no matter what it claims, does not treat them as equals. This remains true for the mental health system in the United States.
According to a 2012 report by the Urban Indian Health Institute, “criteria for defining mental health conditions come from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is Eurocentric — focused only on European culture or history.”
Meaning it does not consider Indigenous history, cultural practices, or conditions. Yet, we still use the DSM to diagnose individuals within them and other non-white or non-European groups. This is like how the BMI scale, which was created based on research focused on white males, somehow magically applies to all genders, races, and ages.
Can you sense my eye roll?
Due to the failure of inclusive diagnostic tools, many Indigenous people go without a proper mental health diagnosis. This leaves them vulnerable to having an untreated or mistreated mental illness, either consequence being equally detrimental and possibly deadly. If the community wants to be heard and understood by mental health professionals, it would be wise to seek an Indigenous practitioner.
Here comes the next issue. A 2019 research paper outlines that the “under-resourced services and a lack of Indigenous mental health professionals'' increases LGBTQIA+ mental health disparities. T
he problem of finding a minority-specific practitioner is a compound issue for LGBTQIA+ Indigenous people. They need someone to look at their situation from three angles: the clinical side, the Indigenous perspective, and the LGBTQIA+ perspective. Adding to the complexity are high rates of poverty, low income, multiracial discrimination, and unemployment.
For instance, up to 54% of Indigenous LGBTQIA+ people live in low-income households. Additionally, the unemployment rates for LGBTQIA+ multiracial Indigenous people are higher than their non-LGBTQIA+ counterparts across the board.
There is also the prevalence of discrimination amongst same-ethnicity/same-race peoples. It has been shown that about 66% of LGBTQ+ Indigenous peoples feel unaccepted and disconnected from the Indigenous community. This lack of connection may be worse on tribal lands than in other places.
These sovereign nations are prone to close-minded thinking due to scarce educational opportunities. LGBTQIA+ people who live on tribal lands may also feel unsafe coming out or discussing sexuality and gender identity. This is not just because of fear of family or friends rejecting them.
The risk of being a victim of a hate crime encourages LGBTQIA+ Indigenous people to hide away. According to a 2010 study, about 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ Indigenous people are victims of hate crimes. Due to the nature of many sovereign nations’ laws and policies, attackers of LGBTQIA+ members are unlikely to be prosecuted.
When your own people reject you, you can feel like something is wrong with you or that you do not deserve the right to such an identity. While these reactions and emotions are valid, neither could ever be true. No matter what, human beings have the right to express themselves and be proud of their ethnic origins. It is key to keep this in mind as these feelings can lead to suicidal ideation, depression, self-hate, and anxiety.
Already, the community is at higher-than-average risk of developing severe mental disorders. Indigenous-multiracial and Indigenous-only LGBTQ+ people experience depression more frequently than non-LGBTQ+ Indigenous, LGBTQ+ White, Black, and Asian American adults.
Suicide is another major concern. The suicide rate of Indigenous people is greater than two times the rate of non-Indigenous people. Upsettingly, is it apparent that way too many attempts succeed.
According to the National Indian Council on Aging, “suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Native youths ages 10 to 24.” In short, they are one of the most vulnerable populations in and outside of the LGBTQIA+ community. There is nothing inherently wrong with Indigenous people that causes this phenomenon. Like there is nothing about being LGBTQIA+ that automatically qualifies a person for a mental illness.
It is the society in which we live that creates it. Well, I honestly prefer to put it a different way…
It is the society that we tolerate that fuels the crisis.
How Can We Help?
Talk. About. It.
Having discussions and raising awareness is the single most important thing any individual can do. Indigenous peoples are the blind spot in LGBTQIA+ mental health and human rights advocacy. We need to work together to bring them into the spotlight. You can do that by getting involved in organizations that highlight these issues. You could also share information about the situation and encourage others to act.
Perhaps you could even start a project to make a difference. If you have an idea for a service project, reach out to Volunteer Humanity. They are a non-profit providing service hours for educational advancement to high school and college students who participate in independent or in-house community projects. Spoiler alert: I am the CEO.
My final suggestion is to educate yourself on the matter. Below are three resources about Indigenous LGBTQIA+ mental health and other related issues to get you started.
You may also check out the sources used in my research.
Sources:
American Indian Suicide Rate Increases (nicoa.org)
LGBTQ American Indians report high levels of depression and abuse, study finds (nbcnews.com)
American Indian and Alaska Native LGBT Adults in the US - Williams Institute (ucla.edu) Reclaiming Our Voice: Two Spirit Health & Human Needs in New York State (ny.gov)
Indigenous and Native Communities and Mental Health (psychcentral.com)
LGBTQ+ Native Americans facing mental health crisis (msnbc.com)