Abstract
The research examining mental health disparities between Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) and non-SGM individuals is clear. There is a higher rate of adverse mental health outcomes for SGM individuals, including higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation (Cohen et al., 2016; Livingston et al., 2020). Meyer (2003, 2015, 2021) attributes these elevated rates to discrimination and stigma that SGM individuals experience in the social environment, which manifests itself in adverse mental health outcomes. The school setting can serve as a reflection of the social climate skeptical of SGM issues but remains one of the only places where SGM youth can get the support they need. School mental health providers, such as school counselors and school psychologists, are uniquely positioned to create supportive and inclusive environments that benefit all students, especially SGM youth (Abreu et al., 2016, 2022). Recent strides in support of SGM issues appear to include greater acceptance of same-gender attraction and greater representation of SGM issues in the media. However, rates of negative mental health outcomes for SGM individuals, especially SGM youth, continue to remain relatively consistent (Meyer et al., 2021). Furthermore, recent discourse and legislative action appear to be targeting transgender and gender-diverse individuals, increasing reports of anxiety and depression among this subset of SGM youth (Horne et al., 2022).
The following literature review aims to document the historical context behind the progress and setbacks for SGM individuals, provide a more recent accounting of the challenges SGM youth face, identify risk and protective factors for SGM youth, and discuss interventions that can help support the SGM youth of today.