Mental health care for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and (or) queer

The Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) has taken a strong position in advocating for decreasing stigma and discrimination, albeit, mostly with a focus on people with mental illness. While doing so, however, the CPA has recognized the ongoing stigma and discrimination in society based on sex, race, sexual orientation and religion.1 Unfortunately, psychiatry has a history of conflating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and (or) queer (LGBTQ) identities with mental illness and has, therefore, historically contributed to the stigma and discrimination faced by people who identify as LGBTQ, affecting not only their mental health but also their access to appropriate mental health care. This position paper addresses the need for psychiatrists to increase their understanding of the mental health needs of people who identify themselves as LGBTQ.