LGBTQ+ Victory InstituteResearchPride and Pressure: Exploring Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Elected Officials

Pride and Pressure: Exploring Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Elected Officials

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Introduction

More than 1,270 LGBTQ+ people are currently serving in elected office across the United States—from lone voices in deep red state legislatures to governors in progressive blue states championing pro-equality agendas. While the presence of out LGBTQ+ elected officials has reached unprecedented levels, they serve at a time of intense political divisiveness, with LGBTQ+ rights and identities facing relentless attacks nationwide.

Representing a marginalized community under these realities brings unique challenges. Some must constantly fight against bills and policies that aim to harm the community. Others bear the responsibility of pushing forward pro-LGBTQ+ measures while managing the expectations of LGBTQ+ advocates and communities. And many navigate these challenges while being targeted by anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and threats from their colleagues and on social media. These officials are on the frontlines – and their service often comes at great personal cost.

In this first-of-its-kind survey by LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative, more than 160 LGBTQ+ elected officials shared their experiences with mental health while serving in political office. The Pride and Pressure: Exploring Mental Health Among LGBTQ+ Elected Officials survey provides insights into factors that contribute to their mental health – and looks at access to mental health care and opportunities to better support elected officials who need it.

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is committed to using the results of this survey to better serve its LGBTQ+ elected officials network and to provide new supports that address mental health. The survey is possible thanks to the research support of Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative and financial and expertise support from Otsuka.

Thank you to the LGBTQ+ public servants who are fighting on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community every day.

If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Key Findings:
The Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Elected Officials

of LGBTQ+ elected officials surveyed rate their overall mental health as less than good (9% say it is poor, 30% say it is fair).
0 %
of the LGBTQ+ elected officials say their current mental health is worse than it was the year before they took office.
0 %
of the LGBTQ+ elected officials who say their mental health has declined since taking office attribute the decline at least partially to their service in office.
0 %
of the LGBTQ+ elected officials who say their mental health has declined since taking office attribute the decline at least partially to being an out LGBTQ+ person in elected office.
0 %
LGBTQ+ elected officials say their mental health has negatively impacted their desire to run for re-election or another office. 1 in 4 say it has negatively impacted their desire to run again a lot.
0 %

Factors Impacting Mental Health

Anti-LGBTQ Policies & Legislation

of LGBTQ+ elected officials say working to defeat anti-LGBTQ+ policies or legislation had some negative effect on their mental health.
0 %
say the introduction of anti-LGBTQ bills and legislation negatively impacted their mental health. A similar number (31%) say that not being able to prevent those bills from passing had a negative impact.
0 %
Despite the negative impact, 58% of LGBTQ+ elected officials say the introduction of anti-LGBTQ+ policies or legislation makes them more likely to run for re-election. Only 1 in 10 say it makes them less likely to run.
0 %

Anti-LGBTQ Rhetoric & Attacks

of LGBTQ+ elected officials say they hear anti-LGBTQ rhetoric or views from their colleagues.
0 %
say anti-LGBTQ rhetoric from their elected colleagues negatively impact their mental health.
0 %
say they are targeted with anti-LGBTQ messages or attacks on social media.
0 %
say anti-LGBTQ attacks on social media negatively impact their mental health.
0 %

Low LGBTQ+ Representation

of LGBTQ+ elected officials say the pressure of needing to be a key voice for the LGBTQ+ community negatively impacts their mental health.
0 %
say not having a strong network of LGBTQ+ elected peers negatively impacts their mental health.
0 %
say a lack of LGBTQ+ political role models negatively impacts their mental health.
0 %

Discrimination Experiences

of LGBTQ+ elected officials felt discriminated against in the past 12 months because of their sexual orientation
0 %
Among the LGBTQ+ elected officials who have felt discrimination based on sexual orientation, 59% experienced it in their political office, over 3 in 10 (33%) in their electoral or political campaigns, and about 3 in 10 (29%) in their electoral district.
0 %
of LGBTQ+ elected officials felt discriminated against in the past 12 months because of their gender identity.
0 %
Among the LGBTQ+ elected officials who have felt discrimination based on gender identity, 68% experienced it in their political office, over 3 in 10 (35%) in their electoral or political campaigns, and about 3 in 10 (29%) in their electoral district.
0 %
of non-cisgender elected officials surveyed felt discriminated against in the past 12 months because of their gender identity.
0 %

Access to Mental Healthcare

of LGBTQ+ elected officials say they wanted counseling from a mental health professional in the past 12 months.
0 %
of those who wanted counseling did not receive it.
0 %

Those who wanted but did not receive counseling provide several reasons to explain why.

worry the counselors would not understand the pressures and experiences of elected officials
0 %
worry the counselors would not understand the pressures and experiences of an LGBTQ+ person.
0 %
worry their access to healthcare would be made public. 1 in 4 fear their political opponents would use it to attack them.
0 %

Methodology

Survey responses were collected between September 20 and October 14, 2024. The survey was sent to all 1273 known out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the United States. 163 LGBTQ+ elected officials completed the survey. The survey sample largely reflects the gender identities, sexual orientations, and race/ethnicities of the total LGBTQ+ elected official population.

Survey and Report Partners

The report and survey were jointly conducted by LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative. The survey was made possible thanks to support from Otsuka.

Authors

Gabriele Magni, Founding Director, Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative

Elliot Imse, Executive Director, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute

Pooja Prabhakaran, Director of Elected & Appointed Officials Engagement, LGBTQ+ Victory Institute

 

If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org