Election Anxiety Looms Large, Especially for LGBTQ+ Youth

The election is less than four weeks away, and I don’t know about you personally, but I am stressed. And without exception, so are most others I know, LGBTQ+ or not. In fact, an American Psychological Association poll showed that 73 percent of Americans are anxious about the upcoming election.

And how could we not be stressed? The stakes are high, and the rhetoric is regularly reaching new extremes.

We can no longer simply put down the paper or change the channel. When breaking news happens, I get flooded with push notifications and text messages.

In fact, this year I’ve personally received thousands of text messages, many of which start with “choking back tears,” or “Obama is PLEADING,” or “I’m begging,” or “Begging. You’re the FINAL donation we need…”

This is a major escalation from previous years (and something that really needs to be addressed when this is all over).

I’ve given up on reading all the messages flooding my personal inbox. I no longer answer phone calls from unknown numbers.

As referenced repeatedly in this column, by multiple sources over the past years, that LGBTQ+ mental health, especially for LGBTQ+ youth, is very much affected by anti-LGBTQ+ political rhetoric and legislation.

The Trevor Project’s most recent U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that, within the last year, more than four in ten LGBTQ+ youth said they seriously considered a suicide attempt. Nearly one in six LGBTQ+ youth — and nearly one in five Trans and Nonbinary youth — said they had attempted suicide. Nearly two in three said that hearing about potential laws banning the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in their schools made their mental health a lot worse.

As of this week, the ACLU is tracking 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the U.S. in 2024, including 11 in Virginia that are being carried over into the 2025 legislative session. This is a record number for a single year, narrowly edging out the record 510 tracked in 2023, which surpassed the previous record of 180 in 2022, which surpassed the previous record of 154 in 2021, and so on.

In my personal journey to reduce election stress (which, I admit, is still ongoing), I’ve found that the most important factor is my own health — primarily sleep. I’ve made a point to turn off screens and get in bed several hours earlier than I ever have before. I also walk — a lot — when I need to release some extra energy.

I also go to therapy — and recommend that every single human do the same. If you aren’t ready to find a therapist between now and November 5, though, here’s a little advice — therapy is, basically, a healthy, ongoing conversation with a person who has your best interests at heart. I’ve found that, even when I have a fairly benign conversation about things with my therapist, I end up having an easier time getting through my week anyway.

So — even if you don’t see a therapist — if you have a close friend that you really enjoy talking about the world with, seek them out and spend some quality time together. Even if you end up talking about the election, you’ll feel better having gotten those feelings out of your head in a comfortable space.

The most important thing you can do to combat election stress, however, is pretty simple: early vote. I cannot tell you how more better I feel knowing that, even if I get hit by a bus tomorrow and don’t wake up until December, my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz has been cast.

In addition to reducing election stress, voting early saves campaigns money, and may reduce the number of calls and door knocks you receive.

Don’t delay — vote today!

NoVA Prism Center Presents 2nd Annual Coming Out Gay-la in Reston October 19

NoVA Prism Center will once again present their black-tie Coming Out Gay-la at Reston Community Center of Lake Anne on Saturday, October 19 from 5:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m., featuring light refreshments, a live DJ, raffle, and silent auction to raise funds for programming throughout the year benefitting the Northern Virginia LGBTQIA+ community.

The Gay-la, which was held for the first time in 2023, seeks to raise funds while providing an opportunity for local queer adults to celebrate community and identity. In addition to being a celebration of individual growth and an homage to past selves, NoVA Prism Center will also honor this theme in a serendipitous way with a return to the RCC Lake Anne center where NPC made its first-ever public outreach appearance in 2022.

The Coming Out Gay-la will feature a variety of light refreshments inclusive of various dietary restrictions and multiple backdrops for commemorative photos, as well as a dance floor with music by a live DJ, and a quiet outdoor area on the Lake Anne waterfront for romantic conversation or more sensory-friendly mingling. Raffle and silent auction prizes donated by local businesses, queer-identifying artists, and community partners will help to raise funds for programming and services throughout the year, including community events, educational workshops, library pop-ups, the Center’s affirming clothing closet, and a safe state relocation fund which offers grant-based financial assistance to vulnerable individuals relocating from battleground states to the greater Northern Virginia area.

Tickets for the Coming Out Gay-la start at $50 and can be purchased at novaprismcenter.gay. For more questions, or to get involved, contact van der Goetz at leon@novaprismcenter.gay.