LGBTQ+ farmers more likely to struggle with mental health: U of I survey
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Researchers at the University of Illinois said LGBTQ+ farmers are more susceptible to mental health struggles than the wider farming community.
Around 23,000 LGBTQ+ people are said to be involved in farming in the U.S. The UIUC research team included Courtney Cuthbertson, Dane Rivas-Koehl, Anisa Codamon, Alyssa Billington and Matthew Rivas-Koehl. They reached out to many of those farmers and asked questions about sexual and gender identity, stress, anxiety, depression, resilient coping, suicide risk and their agricultural commodities.
Out of 148 responses from 36 states — with a greater representation of Illinoisans, Californians, Texans, and New Yorkers in organic production — 72% of respondents were experiencing symptoms of mild to severe depression, 70% showed mild to severe anxiety, and 52% suggested suicidal intent. That is two to three times more likely than the general population.
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Men in the LGBTQ+ community experienced more anxiety, depression, and suicide risk than those who did not identify as men. Compared to other types of farming, gay respondents in field crops and beef production were the most likely to have depression symptoms. Although, beef producers were the least likely to have a formal diagnosis.
The U of I research team said all of this is also true for the the farming community at large. Courtney Cuthbertson, assistant professor and Illinois Extension specialist in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, hypothesizes that some of this could be related to masculine norms in agriculture and the intense nature of agricultural work.
“But for LGBTQ+ folks in particular, there may be concern about whether someone’s identity would be validated or whether they would be greeted with the proper pronouns and addressed in a respectful way,” Cuthbertson said in an interview with ACES News. “They may not have supervisors or managers who are willing to let them take a break to go to therapy. They may also not have health benefits that would include mental health coverage.”
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However, suicide risk was found to be higher in samples of LGBTQ+ people who were not farmers. This could suggest a “protective effect” for those who are involved in farming, Cuthbertson said. But the researchers added that either way, the LGBTQ+ community should be supported and the root causes behind their mental health struggles must be unearthed.
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To start, the research team advises farmers to use more inclusive language, train in cultural competency, and offer resources to everyone.
Here are some of those resources, as provided by the researchers:
Concern Hotline: 1-800-447-1985
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
Crisis Text Line: 741741
The study is now published in the Journal of Agromedicine.
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