Are LGBT Rights About to Get Trumped?
Written by guest contributor and author Lee Schubert.
The day after the presidential election, suicide prevention hotlines lit up all across the country, as LGBT people expressed their panic about what a Trump presidency will mean for the future of their freedoms. The fear is real and palpable and understandable. But it may also be somewhat exaggerated and premature. In reality, Donald Trump himself has not said a lot of negative things about either sexual orientation or gender identity. Nor is he as conservative as many people think he is. The conservatives are well aware of that, though liberals tend to throw him into the same bag as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. And whatever Trump’s actual goals turn out to be, there are serious limits to the power of the president. We also have the courts and Congress. And even though the Republicans have majorities in both houses, those majorities are not very wide and many Republicans are not about to fall lock-step behind this political newcomer.
Not that there is no cause for concern. There are several reasons to worry about a Trump administration. The broadest one is the general tone of intolerance that Trump projected throughout the campaign. He did not seem to care a lot about people who are not white, male, and Christian. It is not a big stretch to add “straight” to that list. And whatever his own views may be, some of his supporters may view his victory as license for discrimination and even violence. There was some very disturbing evidence of this in the wake of the election.Another cause for concern is the people Trump will be surrounding himself with. First there is Mike Pence. In addition to being generally more conservative, the vice-president-elect has a seriously poor record on LGBT issues.
Then there are the various appointees in the administration. Just as an example, there is some fear that Betsy DeVos (Trump’s choice to head the Department of Education) will roll back the effort to stop bullying and advance the safety of gay and transgender students. And of course there is the big issue of who Trump will appoint to the Supreme Court. He will be under great pressure from conservatives in both his administration and Congress to choose a justice who would vote to limit LGBT rights in some key ways. Since our next president has never held public office, there is no way to know how susceptible he will be to the influence of those around him, though during his campaign he did tend to do things his own way.
Now let us turn from generalizations to how a Trump presidency might affect some particular issues of concern to the LGBT community. Probably the two biggest issues are marriage equality and transgender bathrooms. Trump has been hard to pin down on either of these, changing positions and equivocating. In both cases, he seems to like the idea of ducking the question by saying it should be left to the individual states. This is not the worst position from a LGBT perspective, since at least it would not involve the kind of discrimination by the federal government exhibited in the dreadful Defense of Marriage Act. But it would still allow discrimination by individual states. What most LGBT people want is equal rights guaranteed throughout the country. And that ultimately depends on the Supreme Court. Therefore these two extremely important issues will be especially dependent on who is nominated (and confirmed) to sit on that court.
There are various other types of discrimination against LGBT people who might be more likely under the new administration. One type is discrimination on religious grounds. Religious organizations sometimes claim that they should not have to hire people, such as gays and lesbians, whose behavior violates their religious beliefs. Recently even businesses have claimed the right not to employ or do business with such people. Since the legalization of same-sex marriage, some people have refused to provide cakes or other goods or services related to weddings, based on their religious beliefs. During the Obama administration, the trend has been not to allow that type of discrimination, despite the religious freedom arguments. Trump has given some indications that he might be more sympathetic toward the religious freedom arguments.
The fear of increased discrimination is further fueled by the fact that Mike Pence has opposed anti-discrimination legislation designed to protect LGBT people. He was also opposed to allowing gays in the military, and some fear a possible return to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era, though a reversal on that would be very difficult to engineer.Because of Trump’s interest in limiting immigration, there is concern that changes in policy might interfere with marriage for international couples and with the treatment of LGBT people seeking asylum from persecution in their home countries. Another possible target of an anti-gay backlash is adoption by same-sex couples. There are also certain medical areas that could be impacted. “Conversion therapy,” or the attempt to treat gay people by making them straight, has been generally rejected by mental health professionals. But in the past Mike Pence advocated it, and some fear that it might come back into use.
Another medical issue arises from the likelihood that Obamacare will be repealed or at least massively overhauled. It does not allow discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and that has been extremely important for transgender people, who previously often had great difficulty obtaining certain types of health care. So there it is. On one hand, there is a very real possibility that the Trump presidency will create some serious problems for many in the LGBT community. On the other, it is much too soon to predict the type of wholesale oppression that many in the LGBT community fear. On balance, rather than assuming the worst, we would do better to wait until we see what particular changes are proposed and then fight to defend whatever rights of LGBT people are actually being threatened.
Lee Schubert is the author of Woman Incognito.
The Ask a Therapist Podcast! with Myleik Teele of My Taught You
I recently had the chance to speak with Myleik Teele on her popular My Taught You podcast. We talk all things therapy and answer some listener questions about setting boundaries, practicing self-care and dealing with "situationships" (and why I feel strongly about that term). Give it a listen below!
Lady Gaga Opens Up About Living with PTSD
Performer Lady Gaga recently opened up about living with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The condition affects about 8 million US adults each year (US Department of Veteran Affairs). Lady Gaga recently penned an open letter for her Born This Way Foundation that I am sharing here in its entirety to help those who may be living with PTSD.
She writes:
"I have wrestled for some time about when, how and if I should reveal my diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). After five years of searching for the answers to my chronic pain and the change I have felt in my brain, I am finally well enough to tell you. There is a lot of shame attached to mental illness, but it’s important that you know that there is hope and a chance for recovery.It is a daily effort for me, even during this album cycle, to regulate my nervous system so that I don’t panic over circumstances that to many would seem like normal life situations. Examples are leaving the house or being touched by strangers who simply want to share their enthusiasm for my music.
I also struggle with triggers from the memories I carry from my feelings of past years on tour when my needs and requests for balance were being ignored. I was overworked and not taken seriously when I shared my pain and concern that something was wrong. I ultimately ended up injured on the Born This Way Ball. That moment and the memory of it has changed my life forever. The experience of performing night after night in mental and physical pain ingrained in me a trauma that I relive when I see or hear things that remind me of those days.
I also experience something called dissociation which means that my mind doesn’t want to relive the pain so “I look off and I stare” in a glazed over state. As my doctors have taught me, I cannot express my feelings because my pre-frontal cortex (the part of the brain that controls logical, orderly thought) is overridden by the amygdala (which stores emotional memory) and sends me into a fight or flight response. My body is in one place and my mind in another. It’s like the panic accelerator in my mind gets stuck and I am paralyzed with fear.
When this happens I can’t talk. When this happens repeatedly, it makes me have a common PTSD reaction which is that I feel depressed and unable to function like I used to. It’s harder to do my job. It’s harder to do simple things like take a shower. Everything has become harder. Additionally, when I am unable to regulate my anxiety, it can result in somatization, which is pain in the body caused by an inability to express my emotional pain in words.
But I am a strong and powerful woman who is aware of the love I have around me from my team, my family and friends, my doctors and from my incredible fans who I know will never give up on me. I will never give up on my dreams of art and music. I am continuing to learn how to transcend this because I know I can. If you relate to what I am sharing, please know that you can too.
Traditionally, many associate PTSD as a condition faced by brave men and women that serve countries all over the world. While this is true, I seek to raise awareness that this mental illness affects all kinds of people, including our youth. I pledge not only to help our youth not feel ashamed of their own conditions, but also to lend support to those servicemen and women who suffer from PTSD. No one’s invisible pain should go unnoticed.
I am doing various modalities of psychotherapy and am on medicine prescribed by my psychiatrist. However, I believe that the most inexpensive and perhaps the best medicine in the world is words. Kind words…positive words…words that help people who feel ashamed of an invisible illness to overcome their shame and feel free. This is how I and we can begin to heal. I am starting today, because secrets keep you sick. And I don’t want to keep this secret anymore.
A note from my psychologist, Dr. Nancy: ‘If you think you might have PTSD, please seek professional help. There is so much hope for recovery. Many people think that the event that stimulated PTSD needs to be the focus. Yet often, people will experience the same event and have completely different reactions to it. It is my opinion that trauma occurs in an environment where your feelings and emotional experience are not valued, heard and understood. The specific event is not the cause of traumatic experience. This lack of a “relational home” for feelings is the true cause of traumatic experience.
Finding support is key.
Click here or visit the National Institute for Mental Health for more information on PTSD in all its forms and where to find help. If you are in crisis now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8225)."
5 Self-Care Tips When You're in Recovery
Editor's note: This is a guest post from writer and pastor Steve Austin. This post discusses themes of suicide, recovery and self care.
When the police and paramedics opened the door, they pushed through the lounger, the kitchen and coffee tables, and found my body there, in the hotel room. I was lying on my back, covered in vomit. There was vomit on the bed, on the floor, and it had projected up the wall behind me and covered a massive picture that hung behind the bed. Those who found me thought it was a murder scene. Apparently the pink Benadryl pills, along with the tens of thousands of other milligrams of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications I took, made it look like blood. They thought I was dead and I should have been. I wanted to be. I had been unconscious nearly twelve hours.
The one flash I have of coming to was being transferred by the medical personnel from the gurney to the hospital bed. Everything was colored white except the navy of the nurses scrubs. I'm assuming it was in the ER. I remember them cutting my clothes off and it was all like a nightmare. I couldn't respond but I remember them counting "1...2...3..." before lifting me up and over. And what emotion do I remember from that? Shame. Ashamed of being naked. I had never been more vulnerable.
I couldn’t process all of this in that brief moment, but here I was, a failed minister, an embarrassment to anyone who ever cared about me, and I couldn’t even get a suicide right. The same thing happened when the male nurse came in the next day and I woke up in one of those momentary fogs. I wasn't worried about the pain of him ripping out the catheter. I had experienced far greater pain. It was the shame attached to being naked and having my penis touched by another man. A stranger.
After three days in ICU, the doctors decided my liver wasn’t going to fail, and I had regained feeling in my legs. I was released from ICU and immediately transferred to the psych ward. The psych ward. Me. The former worship leader. The youth pastor. The Christian radio host. The blogger. The ministry school graduate. The father. The husband. The outgoing one. The friendly one. The upbeat one. Me. I was sitting in a wheelchair, headed to the psych ward. And I stayed there for several days.
Since those darkest days, I’ve fought really hard to recover and learn to practice self-care daily. Here’s 5 ways to practice self-care during recovery:
Focus only on things that make you better
Especially in the early days of recovery, there is so much I can’t control. But I can always control how I take care of myself. I can respect my limits, fight distraction, and focus on recovery.
Remember, you are more than just a diagnosis
Labels are important, especially from a medical standpoint. They give us a plan of action. They show us a lot about our limits. They teach us which medications may help and what substances or situations to stay away from. But when we focus more on the label than the person behind it, a human being in need of love and belonging, we miss the point. And we miss an opportunity to live a full and meaningful life.
Don’t forget: hard days don’t last forever
Sometimes hard days mean I take an extra five minutes on a lunch break to hide in the server room at work and take a few deep breaths. If necessary, I am also not afraid to take medicine my doctor has prescribed specifically for those moments, or even take a “mental health day.” I’m not an advocate of hiding under the covers, but I also believe in knowing yourself well enough to acknowledge your limits.
You don’t owe anyone an apology for your story
When others don’t understand recovery from abuse, addiction, or a suicide attempt, they can make comments that seem to have a hidden meaning. Sometimes it’s intentional and sometimes it’s just plain ignorance. Either way, those jabs bring on shame. If I feel like someone thinks I should have my life more together than I actually do, I feel a need to say I’m sorry. But I don’t owe anyone an apology for my recovery. I don’t have to feel bad for having a hard day.
Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries
What do you do with the people in your life you can’t easily push away? Those who are permanent fixtures, those whom have both hurt you and been hurt by you? Maybe it’s parents or old friends. In my life, the answer to that question looks like checking in with them on my terms. I set the pace of our relationship now.If you have ever felt hopeless, if you have ever believed all the bad things in your life were beyond redemption, if you have ever felt unworthy of being loved or accepted, if you have ever feared what would happen if people found out whatever it is that haunts you — I get it. I have been there, too. Maybe you are recovering from abuse, addiction or a suicide attempt like me. Maybe you are struggling with anxiety or depression and don’t know why yet. Learning great self-care tools will help you begin to answer the question, “Now what?” Recovery isn’t easy. Self-care makes it possible.
The Different Types of Therapists and Counselors: The Complete Guide
Submitted by guest contributor Joseph Rauch.
There are dozens of types of therapists and counselors, each with a different method, speciality, salary or degree. If you are interested in working with a psychotherapist, this guide will offer all the information you need to find the professional who best fits your challenges, lifestyle, budget and preferences. It is also helpful for aspiring therapists who want to learn about possible career paths.
What Does “Type” Mean in the Context of Therapists?
There are several factors that determine exactly what a therapist’s “type” is (we explore all of them thoroughly in the rest of the guide):
Type of Psychotherapy They Practice
Type of Degree or License
Type of Specialized or Additional Credential
Issues or Disorders They Specialize in Treating
Whether They Use Mediums Such as Art and Music
Willingness to Give Advice
Practicing In an Office, Online or Both
If They Practice in an Office, Is It a Group or Individual Office?
Health Insurance Policies
Works with Individuals, Couples, Families or a Combination
Works Only with Adults, Only with Children, Only with Seniors or a Combination
Specializes in Seeing Clients of Certain Races, Income Levels, Religious Backgrounds and Sexual Orientations
The Locations in Which They Practice
There is no consensus or standard definition of what “type” means in the context of counselors. “Type” can refer to any one of the aforementioned factors. Nonetheless, therapists and clients mostly use “type” to refer to the type of psychotherapy the therapist practices or their degree, license or credentials. This is because many therapists most prominently feature therapeutic approach and education in their personal brand and marketing. They also often perceive it as a more important part of their professional identity.
Why All Parts of a Therapist’s Type Are Equally Important
It’s natural for therapists to stress their credentials and approach more than other parts of their type. “Health Insurance Flexible Therapist” doesn’t sound as appealing as “CBT therapist,” even if clients find the therapist by searching health insurance directories.The unintended negative consequence of stressing education and type of psychotherapy more than other factors is it leads some clients and therapists to believe the other factors don’t matter as much. The factors actually vary in importance depending on what the client is looking for and what the therapist wants to offer during treatment.Some clients search for therapists based on health insurance or the ability to practice online. To them, the type of psychotherapy and credentials are an afterthought.Then there are clients who want a therapist with the same race or similar life experiences. They, too, don’t care as much about education level and therapeutic approach.There are also therapists who believe the type of degree does not significantly impact the quality of therapy. “I believe any mental health professional who has experience counseling can help people with the same effectiveness as another degree, such as LMFT, LPC, PhD, LCSW and LMHC,” said Talkspace therapist Karissa Brennan, LMHC. All of the factors that make a therapist’s type are important. Keep reading to learn about them in-depth and see how they impact both the client and therapist.
The Type of Psychotherapy/Therapeutic Approach
The type of psychotherapy or therapeutic approach affects a therapist’s career path but makes little difference in the quality of treatment they can provide. It is important to clients, though.Some clients might find a purely cognitive behavioral approach too cold or believe psychodynamic methods are outdated. It’s crucial for the therapist and client to think about how the therapeutic approach will mesh with their personalities, preferences and goals.Most therapists say they specialize in or use a certain approach rather than claiming they are a practitioner of it. There is a difference between someone who calls himself a psychoanalyst and someone who says he uses psychoanalysis in therapy. The former is less likely to blend psychoanalysis with other approaches.
This is a guest post by writer Joseph Rauch. Please visit the Talkspace blog to read the full version of this article.