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Link between being glbt and being disabled

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by dano218, Mar 21, 2015.

  1. dano218

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    I don't mean to offend anyone with this question as I have a disability and gay myself and was wondering if there could possibly be link between the two from birth. I was once even in a college program in a small town for disabled people and there were about 25 kids in the class and half the class later came out as gay or bisexual. I seen other cases like this and i just find it interesting. It is hard growing up in a world where you have two things people can use against you and you have to fight against all those stereotypes combined. I know that not all lgbt people are disabled and i know not all disabled people are lgbt so I mean no harm with this question and it was just a interesting thought.
     
  2. Asexual Pirate

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    I don't know if there is a connection, but I am also an LGBT individual with a disability. Four years ago I was diagnosed with autism, a General Anxiety Disorder, and depression. Fighting against the stigma of both mental illness and of my sexuality is certainly difficult. Sometimes I wish I could find more autistic LGBT individuals in life.
     
  3. Aeolia

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    That's something I'm wondering about. Could it be that from the beginning we felt something was off and thus it kept bugging us until we realized it, making us more prone to mental illness ? Some people fall into depression when they realize that they are lgbtq+, but it ain't that rare to find someone suffering from a mental illness that is unrelated to that matter though...
     
  4. dano218

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    Same here. I just think it would be interesting though if someone did that kind of research. While it is difficult to face rejection for being gay and also disabled it is also hard to convince people that a person with a disability can be gay. Like just because a person has a disabilty means they have no idea about romance or sexuality.

    ---------- Post added 21st Mar 2015 at 04:06 PM ----------

    Yeah but i am talking more about being disabled at birth more than mental illness. Yeah mental illness is very common in our community but I think there a lot of glbt with disabilties too. Its ok it is easier to mix those two together sometimes.
     
  5. edy

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    Maybe the links would be that both face discrimination and society tell them both that they can't do certain things
     
  6. thesharkamander

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    I was actually thinking about this earlier.
    Well I have ADHD, and my family thinks I have Asperger's (although I have not been professionally diagnosed with it), and I'm also bisexual and unsure of my gender. My schizophrenic friend is also trans and non-het, although I'm not sure of their specific labels. (They also have some physical disabilities; I know one of them is scoliosis.) My friend with Asperger's is also bisexual. And a lot of my other LGBT+ friends have depression or anxiety disorders.

    I'd say it sounds like there could be some kind of link.
     
  7. NamesNotJake

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    I've heard of a statistic saying people on the Autism spectrum are more likely to be Trans.

    A lot of the depression and anxiety for LGBT could come from struggling with self acceptance, dysphoria, feeling outcasted (by those who are close to you.) I wouldn't be surprised if the LGBT are more likely to expierence mental illness, it isn't the easiest path in life.

    ---------- Post added 21st Mar 2015 at 10:37 PM ----------

    If you mean phyiscally disabled, I found this article.

    Disability Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults: Disparities in Prevalence and Risk

    I've never thought about it, but maybe their really is. Hmmmmm
     
  8. Im Just Me

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    I know a lot of people with a disability who are also LGBT, so it's possible there is a connection. I've always noticed this.

    However, I also think this is very possibly due to people with disabilities having to kind of lay themselves bare, learning earlier they have to accept who they really are, and not fitting in in the typical way others may. They aren't afraid to be honest and open about their sexuality as much.
    I say this because I notice more LGBT people interested in "stranger" hobbies such as anime, and such things, and I don't think anime turns people gay or gay people flock to anime (or similarly "weird" by societies standards hobbies), I think these people already experience being a bit outcasted and points in their life, and learn earlier on to accept themselves as they are and to not be as afraid of what other's think.

    So I guess what I think is that there are probably more LGBT people out their than we realize, but I think they are surrounded with the "right" friends, or hobbies, or family, or work situation, and they've never had to come out and be that one who is different, so they are more likely to be in the closet, and even in denial to themselves.
    (I mean, what do you see more? LGBT comic book fans, or LGBT cheerleaders? haha)
     
  9. antibinary

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    Stigma against us could increase the rates of some kinds of mental illness.
     
  10. Austin

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    I'm not sure. If you're including mental illness with disabilities, many many straight people have mental illnesses too. It's really common. It's overdiagnosed.
     
  11. blueberrykisses

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    If you mean mental illness, then yes it is a known fact that gay people have high rates of depression/suicide/other mental problems which is understandable, as growing up being hated on/bullied/harrassed/being thought of abnormal by society is bound to put enourmous strain on you...
     
  12. Aeolia

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    My bad, I should have checked what you meant by disabled first, sorry.
     
  13. greatwhale

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    Hi Dano,

    Your observation that a high number of physically disabled people (in the specific settings you described) also turned out to be gay is interesting, but it remains anecdotal.

    It would be an interesting thing to study, in a well-controlled survey with large numbers of disabled people in different situations and stages of life. With this kind of data, it would be possible to tease out all the possible factors (including their being students of a certain age) that play a role, or not. Given what we currently understand about sexuality; that it is an inherent part of a person's identity, it would be a reasonable hypothesis that being disabled has no bearing on being LGBT, but this is an unverified hypothesis, I know of no such studies that explored this question.
     
  14. Justinian20

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    I am disabled from birth and Gay as well, so I find it interesting that a link could be drawn from being LGBT and being disabled perhaps it might be natural selection at work. No offence to disabled members. As we are lower on the food chain than the average person it means that the likelihood of us being gay is increased as genetically we are the weak who were gotten rid off in older and more ancient societies. Now this is nature's way of keeping humanity stronger as a majority of us born with disabilities could be gay therefore making it less likely for us to pass on our genes.

    By the way before everyone goes crazy, which I think they will because of the outdated view I am using which is Survival of the Fittest. This is only a theory and it doesn't mean it is true and I have presented it as a theory rather than a belief I have. Also no studies have been done on this topic which provides a very interesting discussion as we can develop theories as to why. I am probably wrong about this theory, but it is a possibility.
     
  15. dano218

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    Yeah thats true but I am talking more on the lines of a link that takes place during birth.

    ---------- Post added 22nd Mar 2015 at 08:04 AM ----------

    I was always afraid to come out during school but that is a practical mindset to have. People always judge you for being disabled so what do you have to lose by coming as gay. Yeah your life could be made worse by coming out as both and facing rejection for both things which actually could cause someone who is disabled to stay in the closet because they get enough hell for being disabled. It could go either way.

    ---------- Post added 22nd Mar 2015 at 08:06 AM ----------

    No i am speaking more on the lines of learning disabilities or physical disabilities developed at birth. I mean this question in no offense as I am a disabled gay man.

    ---------- Post added 22nd Mar 2015 at 08:09 AM ----------

    Yeah as I am disabled and gay myself I was thinking about this more personally and meant it in no offense. It would be interesting to study as my parents are not gay or disabled in anyway. It cannot really be genetics i would think. Of course they could be gay and never thought about it but that is another question for another day.
     
  16. Asexual Pirate

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    I wouldn't be surprised if there is a link between autism and being LGBT because the former is basically a different brain structure and way of processing information (or at least that's my understanding of my own case).
     
  17. pointofnoreturn

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    I have cerebral palsy- it just affects my walking/ some balance and dexterity; my friend, who I consider my older sister, also has CP and is also gay/gq. Personally, I think they're coincidental; I don't think there's any real connection between the two.
     
  18. Skaros

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    I know there is a connection between left handedness and homosexuality, but I don't think disability has anything to do with it.

    However, insecurity and discrimination from being LGBT can cause some types of mental disorders later in life.
     
  19. dano218

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    Of course im am not implying it would be the same for all cases. I just happen to meet more and more people who are both disabled and glbt and find that interesting. I actually prefer to date someone who has a disability and is gay.

    ---------- Post added 22nd Mar 2015 at 08:55 AM ----------

    True. I developed a anxiety disorder and I think that had a lot to do with it.
     
  20. TENNYSON

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    I guess it's possible. I have mild Aspberger's and I'm LGBT, but I don't really consider that a disability. However, I know someone with a learning disorder and much more severe Aspberger's and he's bisexual. So maybe there's a correlation, I don't know.