The components of fatalism can be used to analyze suicide among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) youth. Taking an anomie and fatalistic-based perspective, one can critically analyze underlying issues concerning individuals from this community. It is unfair to claim the suicide attempts are the direct consequence of one thing or another. Instead, we can look at the social factors that affect youth and what impacts them during these two states of social power.
LGBTQ youth experience an unfair balance of risks and benefits when coming out to peers. An individual may feel liberated with themselves, being able to live their life honestly and avoiding a “double-life” (Safe Zone). Stronger connections within the community is also a possibility when coming out, having the opportunity to branch out for resources from individuals who aid to LGBTQ persons. Contrary to these benefits include the common repercussions: rejection from peers and family, abuse, harassment, homelessness, and discrimination to name a few. LGBTQ youth, commonly described as ages 14-22, have to not only deal with the stresses of life in adolescence, but also go out of their way to make themselves unnoticeable of any non-heterosexual actions, or even suppress their sexuality completely. Fatalism can be applied to this sense of restraint from one’s true self. American society, along with many others across the globe, follow a heteronormative view, in which the gender binary is established and engrained within society to maintain “natural” roles in life. Such establishment fills nonconforming individuals with apprehension, for fear of facing sanctions based on their sexuality. How, then, does anomie and fatalism fall into place because of this? Through societal interaction, media portrayals, and familial/cultural traditions or values, LGBTQ youth are scrutinized based on preconceived, often heterosexist, notions. These ideas placed on the community often come with effects that may lead to one being in a state of anomie or fatalism.
Across social science research, studies indicate a higher rate of suicide attempts in LGBTQ youth in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. By looking at anomie, how does an individual tend to lack social order? What could potentially drive them to this state? The rejection of society, family, and friends can begin to tell us how we may lose touch with the social order we have been accustomed to. It is no secret that parents play a major role in the socialization process, instilling morals and values, providing guidance, and introducing the regulation of social norms and mores. However, our caregivers are not the only set of individuals who influence our behavior, interactions with our peers, institutions, and media are other ways in which order is produced within us.
When youth are chastised, driven out of their homes or communities after introducing their sexuality, there is a greater chance mental health will begin to diminish. What happens to everything one has acquired about the world, the knowledge of interactions and the order behind that? Conditions you used to adhere to and the standards set by individuals important to you are now gone and to overcome this setting is to first acknowledge that. An individual can feel lost, confused, and unaware of what to do or what choices to make to better themselves and continue on the correct path. LGBTQ youth experience anomy through the feeling of exclusion from society, through the actual exclusion from family and community involvement. Another outlook on LGBTQ youth and anomie could be the potential of restructuring their lives, a second chance if you will, with the betterment of self in mind. Being free of structure and lacking regulation can assist people in thinking of rebuilding that social order in regards to specific wants or needs.
Outlooks may not always be as positive as the former description of anomie. Overregulation occurs quite frequently and the idea of society having a complete possession over you and your actions coincides with LGBTQ youth’s fatalism. People who have yet to “come out” experiences fatalism and what Durkheim believed to be the total acceptance of fate due to this power over you. Taking religion as a primary example, one’s family structure and values based on this could influence whether or not a LGBTQ youth is comfortable fully being themselves or not. A regulation of persons based on religion is an example of how one can experience fatalism; suppressing who they are for fear of repercussions, for fear of degradation.
A major component of Durkheim’s belief was total coercion and how no hope is present when this is true. LGBTQ youth are faced with conforming to the standard and expectations around them and their overt acts of non-heteronormativity are lessened because of this power others have on them. Media also greatly contributes to this through its portrayal of LGBTQ persons in television, news, and film. Adults and peers who are not as critical in analyzing situations tend to fall victims of such prejudices. Having too much regulation can lead someone to find alternate, permanent solutions. LGBTQ youth’s rate of lifetime suicide attempts was over 30%, which was more than the general population, according to Brian Mustanski (AFSP). His research on suicide attempts in LGBT teens also found that 14% had enough symptoms to be diagnosed with a major depressive disorder (AFSP). Scientific findings such as these allow us to question, why and how does this trend seem to lean towards LGBTQ youth? Could this partly be attributable to a coercion youth feel by society, an overregulation of individual identity that furthers them into an abyss of solitude?
However one tends to look at the growing issues of mental health surround LGBTQ youth, there is a common thread underlying this concern. Our social connections have a great impact on our interactions and mental stability, and without it we are left with insufficient direction needed to make sense of the world. However, the presence of coercion and overregulation can lead LGBTQ youth to feel trapped by society within themselves and unable to reach a livable, sustainable life. Understanding the effects heteronormativity and our influence on an individual’s social order through over/under regulation is key to acknowledging the differences of others.
References
http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/safe-zone/coming-out/
https://www.afsp.org/research/research-connection/understanding-suicide-attempts-in-lgbt-teens