Happy Holidays Pride Community! 🎁🎉
The holidays can be a challenging season and many individuals in the Community often feel rejected or removed from their families for expressing their identity. Feelings of guilt, shame and lack of acceptance can surface during these times about not wanting to spend time with family members because of the stigma and judgement that goes hand in hand with family gatherings. Those in the community are 3 times more likely to experience depression/anxiety and substance abuse/misuse.
What can we do to help our counterparts feel safe and included during the holidays?
Compassion and empathy- while we cannot erase the hate/homophobia that lingers in society, we can change our vocabulary, awareness and our will to continually educate ourselves.
Change starts with the will to learn, and acceptance is acheived through growth. A safe space can be experienced for all. This holiday, I challenge everyone to exude empathy and compassion during this season as it may very well be a tough time for those of us in the community.
Yours in Community,
FidoJo
