Health

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One in Ten LGBT+ Youth Identify as Asexual or on the Ace Spectrum, Research Finds

Landmark research marking Asexual Awareness Week (25-31 October) has found that one in ten queer youth in America identify as asexual or on the ace spectrum. Asexual people are often overlooked within the LGBT+ community, but using data from its 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, The Trevor Project found that in a sample of more than 40,000 LGBT+ youth, 10 per cent identified as asexual or on the ace spectrum. Being asexual means that an individual does not experience, or experiences very little, sexual attraction to others, or does not desire sexual contact. Asexuality is a spectrum on which many other […]

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Discrimination Contributes to Poorer Heart Health for LGBTQ Adults

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More than half (56%) of LGBTQ adults and 70% of those who are transgender or gender non-conforming report experiencing some form of discrimination, including the use of harsh or abusive language, from a health care professional. The first American Heart Association Scientific Statement to address LGBTQ heart health, “Assessing and Addressing Cardiovascular Health in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (or Questioning) Adults,” published today in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation, suggests improving the cardiovascular health of the LGBTQ population will require a multi-faceted approach that includes researchers, clinicians and public health experts. In terms of health, LGBTQ orientation is considered a […]

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Majority of LGBTQ Youth Experiencing Anxiety, Depression amid Covid, Poll Finds

A majority of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression amid the pandemic, according to poll released Friday by Morning Consult and The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization. The poll surveyed 1,200 people across the U.S. between the ages of 13–24 in late July, including 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth and 600 non-LGBTQ youth. Stay-at-home orders have led to some LGBTQ youth being stuck inside in unsupportive households, which could lead to adverse mental health affects, as well as limited opportunities to get needed care, according to the survey. Nearly 1 in 4 […]

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Early Care Leads to Better Mental Health for Transgender Youths: Study

Transgender children who receive gender-affirming medical care earlier in their lives are less likely to experience mental health issues like depression and anxiety, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. “The study highlights that timely access to gender-affirming medical care is really important for youth with gender dysphoria,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Julia C. Sorbara, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Gender dysphoriainvolves a conflict between an individual’s sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. The study found that transgender youths who sought that type of care — which, for minors, most […]

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LGB More Likely to Get Migraines than Straight People

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Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are significantly more likely to get migraines than straight people, and scientists believe the stress of bigotry could be one reason why. A survey of 10,000 Americans aged 31-42 by San Francisco’s University of California found that almost a third of LGB people experienced migraines, a figure 58 per cent higher than in heterosexual participants. And although the researchers were unable to pinpoint the exact reason behind the painful and disabling headaches, we can only assume that the constant strain of dealing with cis straight nonsense is a contributing factor. “There might be a higher rate of migraines […]

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Gay Lawmaker and Coronavirus Survivor Tried to Donate Plasma, but He Was Turned Away

A gay lawmaker and coronavirus survivor tried to donate plasma to help others – but he was turned away because of his sexuality. Shevrin Jones, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, went to a blood drive on August 7 with his mother Bloneva Jones and his father Eric Jones. The three decided to donate blood because they had recently recovered from COVID-19 and wanted to help others by donating their antibody-rich blood. Writing on Twitter, Jones said: “I was blessed to get through COVID, and it’s only right that we bless someone else and give them a fighting chance to […]

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An Old, Dangerous Drug has Made a Comeback with a New Generation of Users

It had been several years since professor Joseph Palamar had seen that unmistakable “caveman face,” the telltale sign of an imminent overdose of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB. Standing among throngs of concertgoers at a Brooklyn music venue last year, Palamar spotted the bulky man with the contorted face nearby. He was struggling to remain conscious. “I’ve noticed that when people are meant to pass out and they keep forcing it, they make these very strange, primitive faces,” Palamar, an epidemiologist and associate professor of population health at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, told NBC News. “They look like […]

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Gay Men Start Having Sex Earlier than Straights – and it Means They’re Missing out on Sex Ed

Sex education may be starting too late to help young gay men, according to new research. A study from Rutgers University, published in the Journal of Sex Research, highlights a disparity between young gay men and the straight population when it comes to the age at which people first engage in sexual behaviours. Queer men become sexually active at an earlier age, researchers find. Based on a sample of 600 young men who have sex with men, researchers found that on average, same-sex sexual encounters first happen at 14.5 years of age – before straight teens are typically sexual active. Queer men have […]

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These Are the Riskiest Activities to Do during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Even as we move through the stages of reopening here in California, that won’t mean the risk of contracting COVID-19 disappears. Until we get a vaccine, every day will probably involve some type of risk weighing, so we asked a medical professional what the riskiest activities are right now. Dr. Jahan Fahimi, emergency department medical director at UCSF, assessed the risk of some common activities (some of which aren’t even allowed yet in the Bay Area, though they could be soon), with the caveat that all situations will vary slightly in risk level based on time and the number of […]

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Friendship, Interrupted: Disconnection in the Era of COVID-19

My phone buzzed the other day with a long missive from a friend to a group Facebook chat we share with my husband and his fiancé. Earlier in the day, he had invited me and my husband over for dinner at their apartment. In the spirit of social distancing, I responded by suggesting maybe we do something outdoors—perhaps a picnic or a walk in the park? He was furious. He felt like we were avoiding their “COVID germs.” After a series of angry messages, he left the group chat—the digital equivalent of a gauntlet-drop. I looked at my husband, speechless. […]

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