---

Pride and LGBT Mental Health Supported By Blackpool Event

Beverley Kenyon is a CWU Portable Officer for the BFS Branch of the Union. Her reports have featured previously on this website, dealing with issues affecting union members, not just in the CWU, but also in the wider community.

Here she reports on her recent attendance at a Pride event in Blackpool:

I attended Pride in Blackpool flags waving  cheers from the crowds. Different groups from unions and community groups. To celebrate who you are as an individual. Unions started to support pride when the LGBT community supported the coal miners.

The struggle has been hard for the LGBT community as what effect has this left on their mental health.

For years people have gotten married or hidden the fact that they do not fit in “normal Life” . What's normal is the question? 

Mental health is worse as the community tries to fit in and what your family and friends do except as normal behaviour. This all takes at toll in marriage and relationship break ups, homelessness and adding abuse, also suicidal thoughts. 

Who can I trust? - Who can I turn to?

LGBT people are less likely to go to councillors as they believe councillors will take a bad view of them.

Some look for rainbow hearts , contact LGTB union offices and a lot of LGBT communities have their own councillors. Doctors can help but talk to someone who has been through the same experience. 

The CWU have a great LGTB community join us in Liverpool Pride on the 30th July or your regional ones and help us to support and celebrate our members, and their families, and friends  to overcome their sexuality and rights .

A woman in Blackpool came up to us it’s her first time at Pride and she talked to us and we welcomed her to join us. She felt safe and reassured.

LInks:

htts://switchboard.lgbt  0300 330 0630
www.Mind.org.uk
www.lgbthealth.org.uk 0300 123 2523

Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Union Safety Services