All month long, One Colorado and so many of our partners have been talking about mental health awareness. For LGBTQ Coloradans, who are diagnosed with anxiety and depression at rates three times higher than the general population, mental health and access to care is especially important. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people also contemplate suicide at rates three times higher than the general public (Closing the Gap: The Turning Point for LGBTQ Health). These disparities in mental health outcomes are the result of barriers, harassment, and discrimination faced by members of our community. Transgender people, non-binary people, and people of color face additional barriers and added layers of discrimination due to transphobia and racism.
LGBTQ Coloradans face additional barriers to accessing mental healthcare, as well as, higher rates of harassment and discrimination when compared to the general population. In Closing the Gap, 61% of transgender folks reported experiencing verbal harassment motivated by transphobia. In 2019, at least 26 transgender and gender-nonconforming people were killed in the United States, and a majority of these murders were of Black transgender women (Human Rights Campaign).
Even during a global pandemic, the Trump administration threatens to remove nondiscrimination protections from the Affordable Care Act. The ACA expanded healthcare to many people who did not have coverage before and gender-affirming care options for transgender and non-binary Coloradans. The proposed changes would eliminate protections against discrimination based on transgender status and sex stereotyping. Although Colorado laws will still protect LGBTQ people in our state, on May 6, 2020, One Colorado and our partners at the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition met with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and asked them to withdraw this proposed rule.
One Colorado stands with the most vulnerable in the LGBTQ community to fight transphobia and racism. Health equity for our all LGBTQ Coloradans means ending the disparities that exist within our own community. Please take a look at the resources listed below and reach out if you could use support. We hope you continue to engage with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to hear stories from around the state and share with us.
