ILGA-Europe’s contribution is intended to stress the connection between discrimination and mental health through a brief overview of the impact of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and/or gender identity on the mental health of LGBT people. This paper also provides a response to the questions raised by the Commission in the green paper from the perspective of promoting equality for, and combating discrimination against LGBT people.

Discrimination, social exclusion and mental ill-health are interconnected in more than one way. While people with mental illness may face discrimination due to stigma attached to mental health problems, discrimination on a variety of grounds can be also at the root of mental health problems. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people do face many forms of discrimination and exclusion which may negatively impact their mental health. While LGBT people are not inherently any more prone to mental or emotional distress than anyone else, research shows that the discrimination they experience on grounds of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is a significant determinant of their mental health.

ILGA-Europe's reponse.