Lent 2022 - Week 4 Friday

Week 4 – Friday
Releasing Internalized Oppression
If it’s serious and you need help, there’s no shame in getting help.

Internalized Oppression is: Damaging to your mental and physical health.
It can lead to anxiety and depression and even suicide.

Because queer people are at greater risk of being bullied, discriminated against or verbally/physically abused, we are twice as likely as heterosexual people to experience mental health issues sometime in our life.
*2017 study by the American Psychiatric Association

Silence it: Get support from a queer-friendly coach or therapist.

There’s no need to suffer alone. There are so many people ready and willing to listen, create a space in which you feel understood, and help you become more confident in yourself and your abilities.

And, if you don’t know where to start, ask a trusted friend to help you find the right resource.
You deserve it!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Has Internalized Oppression impacted your mental or physical health?

IMPORTANT NOTE
I want to make a distinction between Internalized oppression vs. self-care in the face of oppression.

As a queer person, there will be situations in which your safety is legitimately at risk and you’ll do something you normally wouldn’t like not correcting someone who assumes you’re straight or giving a less-than-honest answer to someone who doesn’t feel safe; THIS IS TOTALLY LEGIT.

I’m talking about situations in which your safety is not at risk and you just feel uncomfortable because your queerness is not the “norm” and you fear being judged because of it. These are usually situations in which YOU are uncomfortable with your queerness.
THAT’S WHAT WE WANT TO RELEASE!