• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
NNED – National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health

NNED - National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health

  • News & Events
    • News & Announcements
    • Upcoming Events
  • Opportunities
    • Funding
      • Funding Opportunities
      • National & Local Foundations
    • Professional Development
    • NNEDLearn
  • Connect
    • Partner Central
    • Discussion Forums
    • NNED Speakers Bureau
  • Resources
    • NNEDshare
    • Webinars
    • Diversity Inclusion Project Showcases
  • Join the NNED
    • Member Login
    • Join the NNED
    • About the NNED

Identifying as Hispanic and LGBTQ+: Mental Health, Coming Out

April 29, 2022

Raised in a Colombian household, freshman biology major Valeria Velasquez said coming out to her parents as gay was difficult at first.

“Their doubt seeped in through to me because they’ve known me since the second I was born,” Velasquez said. “They’ve raised me. They’ve been by my side for every part of me growing up.

“So if they don’t think I am, then maybe some part of them is right.”

According to the Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 42% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 18% of them identified as Hispanic.

UCF students who are both Hispanic and part of the LGBTQ+ community said they are alarmed by these numbers. Velasquez said it can be a negative experience for children to be rejected by their families.

“If they reject you for being queer, that’s really harmful because you identify as all these things they identify as yet they are shunning you,” Velasquez said.

She said she was hesitant to come out to her parents around the age of 15, and when she did, they didn’t quite believe her at first. Velasquez said she came out a total of three times before her parents accepted her and gave her the reaction she wanted.

She said her relationship with her parents was rocky at first but was strengthened through many conversations after coming out the last time. As someone who had the ability to explore themselves in school, Velasquez said it is important kids continue to get that opportunity.

“Learning about history is really important, and being able to give kids a safe place in school to explore their identities is crucial,” Velasquez said.

Read more at NicholsonStudentMedia.com.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Research on State of Mental Health in Samoa May 22, 2023
  • Bullying of 2SLGBTQIA+ Students: The Impacts and What Educators Can Do About It May 19, 2023
  • Trauma and Healing for the Black Community May 17, 2023
  • St. Louis Nonprofit to Help Afghans Recover From the Trauma of Conflict in Their Homeland May 15, 2023
  • How Historical Trauma and Racism Impact Mental Healthcare for Native American Communities May 12, 2023

Footer

Facebook Logo
Linkedin Logo
Twitter Logo
The NNED has been a multi-agency funded effort with primary funding by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is managed by SAMHSA's Office of Behavioral Health Equity, and the NNED National Facilitation Center operated by Change Matrix.
  • About
  • Contact