Weekly News Roundup May 27 – June 2, 2023

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No One Knows How Many L.G.B.T.Q. Americans Die by Suicide – New York Times
June 1, 2023
In the US, most death investigators do not collect data on sexuality or gender identity, which leads to a significant lack of data about how many members of these groups die by suicide. The state of Utah has begun making efforts to collect this data since 2017, when its legislature passed a law mandating detailed suicide investigations. The lack of data has also contributed to the politicization of sexual and gender minority group issues in the US. Casey Pick, director of law and policy at the Trevor Project says, “Lacking in data, it is all too easy to dismiss us… I have heard it too many times: (American) Lawmakers and public witnesses in hearings suggest that the L.G.B.T.Q. community is crying wolf on suicide because we don’t have this data to point to.”

More Black Men Are Dying By Suicide. We Need To Address It. – Yahoo! Sports
May 30, 2023
Lance Blanks, 56, retired NBA player, NBA executive, and ESPN affiliate network analyst, died by suicide last month. He’s one of the several prominent Black figures in the US who have died by suicide recently. Article author Dustin J. Seibert explains, “Black men have a fraught relationship with mental health unlike that of any other ethnic or gender group. It starts with a health care industry that has historically mistreated all Black people and continues to demonstrate inequity in treatment today…  There’s also the issue of men of all ethnicities placing mental health in the backseat of priorities…  That unholy combination has left us with a bunch of Baby Boomer Black men who wouldn’t think of dropping coins to talk to a stranger about their feelings. It’s the living demographic that has probably experienced more potent racism in America than anyone else keeping emotions bottled in.” Seibert suggests that, to deal with the issue, suicide needs to be de-stigmatized, there needs to be a recognition and understanding that “the seeds of the Black man’s plight were planted centuries ago, and those trees have yet to be cut down,” for example, they are still most likely to die or suffer impacts of gun violence, and the value of therapy should be recognized, too, though it is hard to find Black male therapists. Finally, Seibert says, “Speaking to someone is necessary if you’re experiencing depression or suicidal ideation. If therapy isn’t accessible to you for whatever reason and you have no one to speak to… dial the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline… Just don’t stay alone in your head. Recognize that you always have somewhere to turn, Black man. Hang around for a while.” 

Three years in, is the Pillars for Life suicide prevention strategy doing any good? – CKOM 650
May 29, 2023
Saskatchewan is now three years into their suicide prevention strategy, Pillars for Life. Rebecca Rackow from CMHA Saskatchewan says that the plan got a slow start, so it’s hard to tell how effective it will be. Rackow says her organization was skeptical of the plan at first, however, she’s encouraged by recent engagement with communities and community groups, as well as the creation of a suicide prevention community of practice for the province. “That’s a step in the right direction, is being able to learn from each other and open up and talk about the issues at hand regarding suicide and suicide prevention so that we can start looking at how to help reduce the high numbers that are in Saskatchewan,” says Rackow.