Psychiatrists say same-sex marriage ban has 'deleterious' mental health impact
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Feb 24, 2017, 2:34:19 AM2/24/17
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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/31/psychiatrists-say-same-sex-marriage-ban-has-deleterious-mental-health-impact
Psychiatrists say same-sex marriage ban has 'deleterious' mental health impact
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists supports same-sex marriage in Australia because of strong link between health and legal equality
Marriage laws barring same-sex couples from getting married in Australia have a “significant and deleterious” impact on their mental health, the peak body for psychiatrists has said.
On Wednesday the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) announced it supports same-sex marriage in Australia because of the strong link between improved health outcomes and legal equality.
RANZCP president, Prof. Malcolm Hopwood, said mental health outcomes for LBGTI people in Australia and New Zealand were “amongst the poorest of any demographic” due to discrimination and marginalisation leading to mental illness and psychological distress.
According to RANZCP’s position paper on LGBTI mental health, same-sex attracted people are up to 14 times more likely to attempt suicide, twice as likely to experience anxiety disorders and three times more likely to experience affective disorders compared with the broader population.
“In Australia, LGBTI people have very high rates of suicidality, with 20% of trans people and 15.7% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people reporting current suicidal ideation,” Hopwood said.
“Therefore based on the evidence it is important that RANZCP supports the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, as research shows that legislative inequality has a significant and deleterious impact on mental health and, conversely, that there is a strong link between improved health outcomes and legislation change of this sort.”
“Our members in New Zealand have noted a swell of positive support for same sex couples in the development and implementation of the same sex marriage act. I anticipate the same would occur in Australia, and it would be immensely beneficial to the people concerned,” he said.
Earlier in March, professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) calculated the “true cost” of a plebiscite on same sex marriage at $525m , in part because of an estimated $20m mental health impact on LGBTI Australians.
The $20m cost included an estimate of $4m for increased visits to doctors and psychologists. PwC estimated 50,000 people – 5% of gay, lesbian and bisexual Australians – would seek treatment for anxiety or affective disorders as a result of divisive public debate.
Hopwood said “the RANZCP emphasises the importance of ongoing, respectful dialogue with those on both sides of the marriage equality debate in Australia, and the need for any discussion around the plebiscite to keep the mental health of vulnerable young people as a priority”.
Debate in Australia has been marked by controversial material against marriage equality, including a pamphlet printed by a former MP claiming children of same-sex couples may be more likely to be victims of sexual abuse or abuse drugs ; and a booklet sent to Catholic schools warning that “same-sex friendships” are very different from “real marriages”.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said the flyers were wrong and “put the lives of young gay people and the children of same-sex couples at risk by reinforcing the message that they and their families are broken”.
“Australia can avoid a damaging plebiscite campaign, and we could have marriage equality by mid year, if parliament is simply allowed to do its job and has a free vote,” he said.
On Wednesday the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) announced it supports same-sex marriage in Australia because of the strong link between improved health outcomes and legal equality.
RANZCP president, Prof. Malcolm Hopwood, said mental health outcomes for LBGTI people in Australia and New Zealand were “amongst the poorest of any demographic” due to discrimination and marginalisation leading to mental illness and psychological distress.
According to RANZCP’s position paper on LGBTI mental health, same-sex attracted people are up to 14 times more likely to attempt suicide, twice as likely to experience anxiety disorders and three times more likely to experience affective disorders compared with the broader population.
“In Australia, LGBTI people have very high rates of suicidality, with 20% of trans people and 15.7% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people reporting current suicidal ideation,” Hopwood said.
“Therefore based on the evidence it is important that RANZCP supports the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, as research shows that legislative inequality has a significant and deleterious impact on mental health and, conversely, that there is a strong link between improved health outcomes and legislation change of this sort.”
“Our members in New Zealand have noted a swell of positive support for same sex couples in the development and implementation of the same sex marriage act. I anticipate the same would occur in Australia, and it would be immensely beneficial to the people concerned,” he said.
Earlier in March, professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) calculated the “true cost” of a plebiscite on same sex marriage at $525m , in part because of an estimated $20m mental health impact on LGBTI Australians.
The $20m cost included an estimate of $4m for increased visits to doctors and psychologists. PwC estimated 50,000 people – 5% of gay, lesbian and bisexual Australians – would seek treatment for anxiety or affective disorders as a result of divisive public debate.
Hopwood said “the RANZCP emphasises the importance of ongoing, respectful dialogue with those on both sides of the marriage equality debate in Australia, and the need for any discussion around the plebiscite to keep the mental health of vulnerable young people as a priority”.
Debate in Australia has been marked by controversial material against marriage equality, including a pamphlet printed by a former MP claiming children of same-sex couples may be more likely to be victims of sexual abuse or abuse drugs ; and a booklet sent to Catholic schools warning that “same-sex friendships” are very different from “real marriages”.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said the flyers were wrong and “put the lives of young gay people and the children of same-sex couples at risk by reinforcing the message that they and their families are broken”.
“Australia can avoid a damaging plebiscite campaign, and we could have marriage equality by mid year, if parliament is simply allowed to do its job and has a free vote,” he said.
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