Sometimes it may seem like the world is taking two steps forward and one step back when it comes to granting rights to all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation. Gay marriage is legal in the United States, but some states still attempt to enact laws that indirectly cosign homophobia and discrimination. Not to mention the countries in which being gay could mean jail time or even death. That attitude trickles down to many members of our society, and researchers now know that it has a more detrimental effect on LGBTQ people than previously thought. A study published in Social Science and Medicine examined levels of prejudice in different communities and compared the life expectancy of LGBTQ people living in high-prejudice areas to those living in low-prejudice areas. What they found was disturbing – LGBT people who lived in areas where prejudice was low lived longer than those who lived in high-prejudice areas.

“By the end of the study, 92 percent of LGB respondents living in low-prejudice communities were still alive. But only 78 percent of the LGB[TQ] respondents living in high-prejudice communities were still alive,” according to the study. Gay members of the high-prejudice communities were also more likely to die of suicide at an average age of 37.5, compared with low-prejudice societies where the average age was 55.7. Gay people were more likely to die of heart disease as well. Twenty-five percent of deaths in the high-prejudice communities were attributed to cardiovascular disease, and gays in those communities also were three times more likely to die of homicide. Stressors such as the bullying and pressure that comes from homophobia may have contributed to those cardiac issues. The effects of homophobia on school-aged kids is even more devastating. Suicide is the leading cause of death for kids who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or gender-fluid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one study of transgender youth reported that 25 percent had attempted suicide at some point. When bullied, this population reports higher-than-normal levels of drug use, depression, being bullied and self-harming behavior. That’s why it’s important to encourage acceptance early on in life — it could save someone.