Pride Month is a recognition of the identity, dignity, equality, acceptance and visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. First recognized by the federal government in June 1999 by President Bill Clinton, Pride Month is dedicated to the celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning pride.
Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969, and has since spread outside of the United States. LGBTQ+ is an evolving acronym that stands for terms that people use to describe their experiences of their gender, sexuality and physiological sex characteristics.
How PRIDE is Relevant to Mental Health
The LGBTQ+ community, especially younger members, interpersonally and systemically, faces societal stigma, discrimination, harassment, family rejection and denial of their civil and human rights, according to Mental Health America. They are one of the most targeted communities by perpetrators of hate crimes.
As of March 2026, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is tracking 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills, fueling frustration, mental health challenges and action for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. Several recurring themes of these bills include civil rights rollbacks, school-based attacks and restrictions on healthcare, identity and recognition, free expression and free speech.
Even bills that don’t become law have an impact on mental health and result in legal and social uncertainty and cultural backlash, creating real consequences for communities that already face significant challenges.
Inequity harms mental health, and LGBTQ+ individuals experience mental health struggles at higher rates than others – especially depression and anxiety disorders. They are also at particular risk for experiencing shame, fear and adverse and traumatic events, such as verbal, mental and physical abuse. This results in higher rates of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and suicide.
What You Can Do to Support the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Loved Ones
Families, friends and allies play a critical role and can take actions to be supportive. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) suggests doing the following to support the mental health of LGBTQ+ loved ones and community members:
● Respect their identity
● Listen and be compassionate
● Create and teach awareness
● Learn about the early signs of mental illness
● Support them in accessing mental health resources
Local Resources
The center offers programs that support clients regardless of gender identity or expression, but it’s far from the only resource available.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) includes on its website plenty of links to services for the LGBTQ+ community, including The Trevor Project, the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression and True Colors United.
If you’re in a mental health crisis and need someone to call, there are multiple hotlines available to you. The Trevor Project Hotline can be reached by calling (866) 499-7386, the national helpline for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is (800) 662-4357 and the Crisis Text Line is available by messaging HOME to 741741.
For more information from the DPSS, visit https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/rights/rights/sogie.html.
The LA County Department of Mental Health also has resources that can be found at https://dmh.lacounty.gov/mental-health-resources/lgbtq-resources/#mental.
To learn more about the programs from the SFVCMHC, go to https://www.movinglivesforward.org/.