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Summary: The latest facts about LGBTQIA+ mental health show that rates of mental health disorders have increased over the past several years, which make participating in Pride Month more important than ever.

Important Facts About Pride Month:

  • Pride Month 2026 is a month dedicated to awareness, advocacy, and visibility for members of the LGBTQIA community in the U.S. and around the world.
  • Pride Month 2026 is the 56th consecutive year of Pride Month in the U.S.
  • Advocates will host Pride Month events in every state in the U.S. in 2026
  • Outright International reports 100 countries around the world hold Pride Month

Mental Health and the LGBTQIA+ Community

LGBTQIA+ adolescents and adults experience oppression, discrimination, exclusion, stigma, and social stressors at higher rates than the general population. This experience increases risk of poor overall mental health, low self-esteem, chronic physical illness and disease, suicidality, and clinical mental health disorders such as anxiety (GAD), depression (MDD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

That’s why, in addition to shining light on the LGBTQIA+ community and the invaluable role queer people play in our culture and society, we’ll use this article to raise awareness about mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community.

The first Pride Month was held in New York City after citizens organized protests in response to police raids of the Stonewall Inn the previous summer. In 2026, the non-profit advocacy organization The Trevor Project continues the legacy of those brave trailblazers who stood up for basic human dignity and human rights when the risks were greater than they are now. To honor the tradition of Pride Month, they created a theme that unites the LGBTQIA+ community and allies in a common cause:

“Always Here, Always Forward”

Here’s what that means to the people at the Trevor Project:

Always Here, Always Forward is a reminder of our steadfast support for LGBTQ+ young people and a promise that we are working to build a better future for them no matter the obstacle.

And here’s why they dedicate significant time, energy, and resources to Pride Month every year:

Pride is more than a celebration – it’s a legacy of bold trailblazers, chosen families, loving parents, resilient communities, and fierce allies moving forward together and taking collective action.

This month, we can all be allies to members of the LGBTQIA+ community by joining in the advocacy movement. Since advocacy starts with awareness, we’ll review the latest facts about LGBTQIA+ mental health in the following sections, and close with ideas about how you can be an ally during Pride Month 2026.

LGBTQA+ Mental Health: Facts and Figures

In 2023, the Trevor Project initiated a longitudinal study on mental health among LGBTQIA+ adolescents called “Project SPARK Interim Report: A Longitudinal Study of Protective and Risk Factors in LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health.” In this article, we’ll focus on mental health among young LGBTQIA+ people for several reasons:

  • They’re the future, and we want to know what’s going on with them.
  • There at greater risk than other demographic groups for a range of negative mental health outcomes.
  • They experience bullying, discrimination, intimidation, and physical assault at higher rates than the general population and older adult LGBTQIA+ people.
  • They need our help and support.

They’re also the demographic we have the most recent data for. The most recent reliable data we have on mental health among LGBTQIA+ adults – including those age 25+ – comes from surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 and published in 2023. We’ll review that data, then share the results of the Trevor Project report.

Latest Facts About LGBTQIA+ Mental Health: Adults 18+

Any Mental Illness:

  • 43.4% LGBTQIA+
  • 21.8% non-LGBTQIA+

Serious Mental Illness:

  • 14% LGBTQIA+
  • 5.1% non-LGBTQIA+

Major Depressive Episode (MDE)

  • 18.7% LGBTQIA+
  • 7.7% non-LGBTQIA+

Suicidality

  • Thoughts of suicide
    • 12.3% among LGBTQIA+
    • 4.3% non-LGBTQIA
  • Made a suicide plan
    • 4% among LGBTQIA+
    • 1.1% non-LGBTQIA+
  • Attempted suicide
    • 1.9% among LGBTQIA+
    • 0.5% non-LGBTQIA+

Here’s how the authors of that report characterize these results:

“The 2021 and 2022 NSDUHs indicate that lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults are more likely than straight adults to use substances, experience mental health issues including major depressive episodes, and experience serious thoughts of suicide.”

Now let’s look at the data on adolescents and young adults ages 13-24 published in the Trevor Project report.

Change in Mental Health Over One Year: 2023-2024 LGBTQIA+ Youth

Anxiety:

  • Baseline: 57%
  • After 12 months: 68%

Depression:

  • Baseline: 48%
  • After 12 months: 54%

Suicidal Ideation:

  • Baseline: 41%
  • After 12 months: 47%

Suicide Attempts:

  • Baseline: 11%
  • After 12 months: 7%

These results show that between September 2023 and September 2024, LGBTQIA+ people ages 13-24 experienced increases in all metrics above with one important exception: suicide attempts. That’s one significant positive development in a generally deteriorating situation with regards to youth mental health in general, and mental health among LGBTQIA+ youth specifically.

How You Can Be An Ally During Pride Month 2026

Awareness is an important first step in being an ally. We can all put our awareness into action by taking steps to show our support.

Allyship is more important now than ever.

In 2023, lawmakers passed over 600 items of anti-LGBTQ legislation in state houses nationwide. In 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) tracked another 616 anti-LGBTQ bills in state houses around the country.

When we say the LGBTQIA+ community experiences discrimination that puts their mental health at risk, this is what we mean.

Discrimination in some parts of the U.S. is institutionalized, with representatives passing laws that degrade the basic civil rights of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These efforts marginalize citizens with the force of law, attempt to exclude them from mainstream society, reduce their visibility, and degrade their “…personal autonomy, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.”

This is a human rights issue. We support diversity, equity, and inclusion for all people. And during Pride Month, we raise our voices for LGBTQIA+ equality.

To counter this trend, we encourage anyone who wants to participate in Pride Month to take the following steps to show solidarity and support for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

7 Ways to Show You’re an Ally During Pride Month

1.Use Your Pronouns.

When you meet someone, signal allyship by stating your name and your preferred pronouns.

  • This shows that you recognize the importance of pronouns to LGBTQIA+ identity.
  • Trust us, they matter. Honoring pronouns shows respect, while ignoring or ridiculing them is active, aggressive, and discriminatory.

2. Fly the Flag.

If it’s safe, fly the pride flag or display pro-LGBTQIA+ symbols at work or school.

    • If local laws prevent you from displaying pro-LGBTQIA+ symbols, then consider displaying them on your car or at home with a Pride yard sign.
    • Wear your Pride t-shirts, pins, and memorabilia whenever possible during the month of June.
    • When members of the LGBTQIA+ community see their flag flying in unexpected places, it builds confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of acceptance and belonging.

3. Don’t Let Things Slide.

Refuse to accept and type of anti-LGBTQIA+ bullying, harassment, or discrimination at work, school, at home, and in your community.

    • If you hear something, say something.
    • If you see something, do something.
    • Speak up for people who matter to you when they’re not there to speak up for themselves.

4. Give Praise.

Speak positively about LGBTQIA+ people whenever you get the chance. the issues that matter to them, and advocate for their equal rights.

    • It’s Pride Month: if there was ever a time to talk about LGBTQIA+ icons like Tim Cook, Amy Ray, Emily Saliers, Lady Gaga, Wanda Sykes, RuPaul, Harvey Milk, Ellen DeGeneres, Elliot Page, Oscar Wilde, Martina Navratilova, the Wachoswski Siblings, Anderson Cooper, Frida Kahlo, Elton John, Freddy Mercury, Lil Nas X, Alice Walker, Alan Turning, James Baldwin, Diana Taurasi, Leonardo Davinci, Tammy Baldwin, and Barney Frank, this is the time.

5. Address the Issues.

Speak positively about LGBTQIA+ rights.

    • When you talk about gay rights, queer equality, or advocate LGBTQIA+ issues, frame the conversation and the related topics as concerning basic human rights, personal freedom, dignity, and equal protection under the law.

6. Talk About the History.

Integrate LGBTQIA+ history and topics into conversation:

    • Share what you know about the role of LGBTQA+ people in U.S. and world history.
    • Learn more here: LGBTQ+ History

7. Lead From the Front.

Advocate for LGBTQ+ young people in your community:

    • Go to Pride marches and events in your city or town.
    • Help people access resources for mental health.
    • Support people who don’t get support from their families or communities.

If you take all those steps, you’ll help move the ball forward in the U.S., and help improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ people facing mental health challenges. Anything you do helps, and every bit of help counts, and matters to people in need of support.

Here’s something we want people to understand: being an ally when everyone around you is an ally easy. You may be hesitant to accompany a newly out relative or friend to a Pride March, but when you get there and find literally tens of thousands of people, you can find comfort, joy, and your own sense of pride in your allyship.

With that in mind, consider this:

The most important time to speak up is when you’re around people who aren’t members of the LGBTQIA+ community and aren’t allies.

LGBTQIA+ Helpful Resources and Links

Please consult the following public resources for support and information on LGBTQIA+ topics:

LGBTQIA+ Crisis and Near Crisis Resources

About Angus Whyte

Angus Whyte has an extensive background in neuroscience, behavioral health, adolescent development, and mindfulness, including lab work in behavioral neurobiology and a decade of writing articles on mental health and mental health treatment. In addition, Angus brings twenty years of experience as a yoga teacher and experiential educator to his work for Crownview. He’s an expert at synthesizing complex concepts into accessible content that helps patients, providers, and families understand the nuances of mental health treatment, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes and quality of life for all stakeholders.