Perhaps a couple govt checks would help ease all this pain and suffering:
Homophobia leading to deaths, says group
Silas Polkinghorne
Saskatchewan News Network; CanWest News Service
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
SASKATOON -- Gay and Lesbian Health Services (GLHS) of Saskatoon says 15 people in Canada die prematurely every day as a result of homophobia.
The organization also says support services for gays and lesbians need more funding to combat the problem.
A recent study commissioned by GLHS reviewed existing research on the human impacts of myths, stereotypes, and negative attitudes about homosexual people.
GLHS says the experience of living in a climate of hate and intolerance causes people to adopt coping mechanisms that impact on their health.
"Homophobia is killing us and those responsible for the health of all Canadians don't seem to give a damn," said GLHS Executive Director Gens Hellquist at a news conference Tuesday.
He said research has shown higher rates of suicide, alcoholism, illicit drug use, smoking, depression, murder, unemployment, and HIV AIDS in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered population.
The review says that 5,500 Canadians die each year as a result of homophobia, but Hellquist said if could include the gay and lesbian community as a whole, the numbers would be higher.
Other research says the average life expectancy of a gay male in Canada is 55 years, 20 years less than the average and comparable to third world life expectancies.
Erin Scriven, GLHS board co-chair, said organizations representing other groups, such as aboriginals, women, and the disabled, receive significantly more funding that GLHS, which is the only support service of its kind in the province.
Dr. Ross Findlater, chief medical health officer for the province, said addiction, disease, and mental health are serious health issues among the gay, lesbian, and bisexual population.
But to assume that all health problems among that population are caused by homophobia is a "pretty big leap of faith," he said in an interview Tuesday.
"There's a role in the social environment in perhaps pushing them towards (unhealthy behaviours) but there's also personal responsibility," he said.
"There are also a lot of their own behaviours that cause infections and lead to addictions," Findlater said.
Bob Challis was afraid to reveal his homosexuality until he was in his 40s. He said Tuesday when he was "outed" at his workplace, co-workers made baseless allegations that he had sexually abused mentally challenged clients.
"I know the turmoil that homophobia causes in people's lives and what that can do to you," said Challis, the fund development officer for GLHS. "It's something that has to change."
Challis said homophobia was a factor in triggering his bouts with depression and bipolar disorder.
canada.com |
