"On my terms": LGBT People's Well-being through Interest Sharing

The well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has attracted considerable interest with a broad consensus of heightened mental health risk due to stressors created by stigmatisation, marginalisation and... [ view full abstract ]

The well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has attracted considerable interest with a broad consensus of heightened mental health risk due to stressors created by stigmatisation, marginalisation and discrimination. The limited research attention focusing on LGBT social well-being through community involvement is puzzling in light of research with general populations on social well-being and positive mental health. This study sought to align itself with emergent research trends problematising this dominant “at risk” representation. Qualitative methods are considered effective in exploring areas that are under-researched. Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Approval Committee of TCD. Through 10 in-depth qualitative interviews with 11 LGBT people living in Ireland involved in physical, creative and social activities, within and outside LGBT communities, this study explored the relationship between LGBT well-being and interest sharing. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis with three themes emerging from the personal narratives regarding wellbeing: “connecting” with like-minded peers; “mastering wellness” with interest sharing pivotal in enhancing mental health; and “making a difference” by contributing to interest groups, LGBT communities and wider society. The theme of “mastering wellness” emphasised participants’ agency through confident and comfortable presentation when discussing mental health, in contrast to the general population. Respondents generally understood that anyone may experience mental ill-health and equally have the capacity to experience times of well-being. It is possible that LGBT community involvement in interest sharing facilitates the simultaneous challenge of the stigmatising representation of LGBT-identities and mental health as binary constructs of normal/abnormal. This underscores the potential for initiatives promoting well-being to draw on the social capital embedded within LGBT communities to destigmatise mental health both within and beyond LGBT communities. The implications arising from this study highlight the need for policy and practice frameworks premised on social justice which promote diversity.