Humanitarian power and LGBTIQ inclusion

By Chad Mayerhofer, Binjin Xue, Anna Poznanska, and Nick Johnson

An extraordinary amount of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in the United States and abroad. According to the ACLUAs of August 5, there are more than 525 bills pending in over 40 states that seek to restrict LGBTQ rights.

While some of the proposed policies may seem largely symbolic and without real day-to-day impact, each poses the threat of real harm to LGBTQ people.

Our data-driven argument is based on an analysis of anti-LGBTQ laws enacted in Poland following the political rise of the far-right Law and Justice (PiS) party in the late 2010s.

Many of these resolutions include:LGBT-freeThese zones lacked clear, enforceable principles, but they were largely successful in further marginalizing LGBTQ people within their communities of origin.

of analysis The study found a staggering 16% jump in suicide attempts in LGBT-free zones. Additionally, deaths from external causes, including suicide, also increased by 10%.

This finding, while distressing and disturbing, is not surprising. Minority Stress ModelEfforts to further marginalize members of the LGBTQ community are expected to have a negative impact on mental health. Already faced There are higher levels of stigma, discrimination and mental health issues.

The minority stress model proposes that external stressors, such as discrimination, contribute to internal stress experiences, such as self-loathing, which may explain poorer mental health in minority groups, including LGBTQ people. Extensive research supportHe stressed the need for urgent intervention.

These resolutions officially condone discrimination against LGBTQ people in general, and even if they were not passed, they would lead to stress, isolation, and hostility among members of the LGBTQ community. For people who already suffer from mental health issues, the social stigma that comes with laws that target their identity can lead to suicide attempts.

At the national level in Poland, a lot of rhetoric has been directed at restricting LGBTQ rights,Family CharterThe bill, “signed by President Andrzej Duda in 2020 as part of his campaign platform for re-election,” promotes family values, asserts parental control over child-rearing and extracurricular school activities, limits school teaching about LGBTQ issues, and “bans the promotion of LGBT ideology.”

While relatively little substantive national legislation has been passed, similar anti-LGBTQ rhetoric has inspired many legislative efforts at the local level.

By 2019, a total of 91 Powiat (counties), Gminas (municipalities), and cantons had enacted some form of anti-LGBTQ legislation. That total exceeded 100 in 2020, eventually reaching approximately One third of the country And the population is about 10 million.

“Our analysis compared areas that passed anti-LGBTQ resolutions to areas that considered but did not pass resolutions, or areas that never introduced such legislation. When we took into account other factors that may affect mental health outcomes, we found surprising results: exposure to anti-LGBTQ legislation was associated with a significant increase in suicide attempts and deaths from traumatic causes.”

Unfortunately, Poland is not an isolated case.

The situation is even more dire in many other countries, where anti-LGBTQ sentiment is rampant and extreme penalties are enshrined in law. Human Rights Watch counted 67 countries. Nine countries have national laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults and laws banning transgender or non-normative identity expression.

a A wave of anti-LGBTQ bills Many African countries have expanded the scope of anti-LGBTQ laws and the accompanying penalties, including in some cases the death penalty.

Fortunately, in Poland, Activist, Court rulingand Economic pressures Under pressure from the EU, most of the original LGBT-free zones have been scrapped.

A centre-right coalition has been formed to oust PiS from power and install Donald Tusk as prime minister in the country’s 2023 elections. Tusk is a former prime minister who Emphasis on LGBTQ and women’s rights During his election campaign.

Poland’s national television station recently On-air apology In line with PiS’ platform, it has condemned the LGBTQ community for broadcasting anti-LGBTQ propaganda in the past.

These developments are signs of hope for a more inclusive future for Poland and a larger movement. Restoring Liberal Democracy.

Unfortunately, for many members of Poland’s LGBTQ community, these remedies come too late.

We call on lawmakers at all levels to consider the potential impact of anti-LGBTQ bills before proposing them to the public. Some harm cannot be undone.

Chad Meyerhofer and Nick Johnson Both are faculty members at Lehigh University: Mayerhofer is the Arthur F. Searing Professor and chair of the Department of Economics, and Johnson is an associate professor of counseling psychology. Xue Bingjin He is an assistant professor of economics at the University of New Hampshire. Anna Poznanska He is a researcher at Poland’s National Institute of Public Health (NIH – National Research Institute).