🏳️‍🌈 Pride and Mental Health: Why Visibility and Support Matters

mhmadmin
May 31
3 min read

June is Pride Month – a time of celebration, remembrance, and solidarity for LGBTQIA+ communities around the world, including here in Wales. But beyond the rainbow flags and parades, Pride remains a powerful act of resilience, visibility, and self-affirmation.

For many, it is a joyful time of connection and community. For others, it can be a reminder of the barriers, discrimination, or loneliness that still exist. That’s why Pride is also a time to shine a light on mental health—because support, safety, and equality are essential to wellbeing.

The History of Pride

Pride traces its roots to the Stonewall Uprising, a defining moment in LGBTQIA+ rights activism.

On 28 June 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. While such raids were common at the time, this time the community fought back—sparking days of resistance and protest. These demonstrations, led largely by Black and Latinx trans women and others from marginalised communities, marked a turning point in LGBTQIA+ visibility and resistance.[1][2][5]

The following year, activists held the Christopher Street Liberation Day March to commemorate the uprising. It was the first Pride event—and it sparked an international movement. Today, Pride remains rooted in that original spirit of protest, unity, and the demand for equality.[3][4][5]

Mental Health: The Reality Behind the Rainbow

While Wales has made progress, mental health inequalities remain stark for LGBTQIA+ communities. These disparities are not a result of someone’s identity—but of the discrimination, stigma, and barriers people still face in society and services.

In Wales:

52% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced depression, and 61% have experienced anxiety in the last year (Stonewall Cymru).
74% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced a mental health problem, compared to 63% of the general population (Mind Cymru, 2023).
Among trans people in Wales, 72% report having experienced depression, and nearly 50% have considered suicide (Mind Cymru, 2023).

These figures paint a clear picture: affirming, accessible, and culturally sensitive support is not optional—it’s essential.

📊 How Do Recent Welsh Mental Health Stats Compare?

Recent national data provides further insight into the disparities affecting LGBTQIA+ communities in Wales:

31.8% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in Wales report poor mental health, compared to 20.9% of heterosexual adults ([EHRC][4]).
LGBTQ+ people across the UK are around 50% more likely to report having a mental health condition than the general population ([Mental Health Wales][7]).
Many LGBTQIA+ people in Wales turn to alcohol, tobacco or other substances to manage emotional distress ([WHESP][1]).

LGBTQIA+ Young People in Wales:
7 in 10 LGBTQ+ girls and 6 in 10 LGBTQ+ boys report having suicidal thoughts.
92% of trans young people have thought about taking their own life.
41% have attempted suicide, and 77% have deliberately self-harmed ([NHS Confederation][6]).

Harassment and Discrimination:

46% of LGBTQIA+ people in Wales report verbal harassment in the past year.
26% have experienced online abuse, and 13% have faced threats of physical or sexual violence ([Welsh Government][3]).

LGBTQIA+ individuals facing additional disadvantage—such as homelessness, poverty, or abuse—often encounter inaccessible or unsuitable mental health services, compounding the impact of trauma and distress ([NHS Confederation][5]).

🏳️‍🌈 Pride as Protest – and Progress

Pride is more than a party—it’s a reminder of the fight for visibility, equality, and inclusion. Whether it’s Cardiff Pride, Swansea Pride, Wrexham Pride, or smaller community events across the Valleys, each gathering holds space for celebration, connection, and activism.

For some, attending Pride is a joyful homecoming. For others, it’s an act of quiet courage—particularly for those still navigating coming out, cultural pressures, or family rejection.