Mental health of LGBTQ+ people in Hebden Bridge up for discussion in Happy Valley Pride event

Hebden Bridge town centre. Picture: Marisa Cashill.

A virtual panel discussion focusing on the mental health of LGBTQ+ people in Hebden Bridge and the surrounding areas will take place.

The Happy Valley Pride group has organised the Mind Your Head event for Wednesday December 2, from 7pm to 8pm on Zoom.

A study of LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning) experiences during the pandemic by University College London and Sussex University found that 69 per cent of respondents suffered depressive symptoms, rising to about 90 per cent of those who had suffered homophobia or transphobia.

Previously, Stonewall's LGBT in Britain Health 2018 report found that half of such people (52 per cent) said they had experienced depression in the year leading up to when it was published.

Kate O'Donnell will host the event. Picture: Max Zadeh.

One in eight of those aged 18 to 24 (13 per cent) said they had attempted to take their own life in the last year, while the same proportion were reported to had experienced some form of unequal treatment from healthcare staff because they were LGBTQ+.

Tim Whitehead, Artistic Director of Happy Valley Pride said that “2020 has been a trying and turbulent year for everyone.

"The LGBTQ+ community were already more susceptible to mental health due to a range of factors, including discrimination and inequalities.

"This has been exacerbated by the effects of lockdowns and isolation.

"The statistics are shocking, but we want to look beyond the numbers.

"We hope this event will provide an informative and entertaining look at some of these issues and provide an opportunity to bring people together during this tricky time”

The panel will be moderated by Kate O' Donnell, a theatre performer, writer, artistic director of TransCreative and Happy Valley Pride patron.

It will also include Lydia Pignataro from Barnardo's Positive Identities; Malcolm Struthers, a clinical hypnotherapist; Sally Macabe, a South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust occupational health therapist; Carl Harrison, a performer, choreographer, yoga teacher, cabaret host; and Sarah Long, a mental health and wellbeing expert.

Other events that are part of the Happy Valley Pride winter season includes Kirsty’s Poptastic Christmas Singalong Party on Saturday December 19 at 8pm, and a live performance of HORSE on Sunday January 24 at 7pm.

All the events are free and will be broadcast on Facebook and/or Zoom, with more details on the Happy Valley Pride website (www.happyvalleypride.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HappyValleyPride).