While June is typically recognized as Pride Month – a tribute to the LGBTQIA+ Liberation Movement sparked by the Stonewall Riots & Uprising in June of 1969 – the prideful party continues into August (and all year round) for the city of Charlotte!
What Were the Stonewall Riots?
During the Stonewall Riots, a gay bar was raided in New York, and instead of quietly shutting down, the patrons decided to fight for their rights. This refusal to be complicit in the face of discrimination had huge chain reactions that led to more and more people standing up for what is right. And that fight lives on! Pride is both a celebration of the progress that has been made already and a call to continue fighting – for visibility, for representation, and for equality.
Charlotte Pride’s vision is “a world in which LGBTQIA+ people are affirmed, respected, and included in the full social and civic life of their local communities, free from fear of any discrimination, rejection, and prejudice.” We are on board with that, and we know that changing the whole world starts right in our own community.
Nourished & Strong Philosophy
Nourished & Strong always has and always will strive to provide inclusive care. There is, unfortunately, a longstanding history of stigmatization of the LGBTQIA+ community in healthcare. And although we can’t change the decades that came before us, we want all members of our community to know they have a safe place with N&S and will always be welcome.
And not only because it’s the right thing to do but also because the LGBTQIA+ community needs differ from those of the cis-/het-population. The rates of eating disorders are markedly higher in the LGBTQIA+ community as they face unique, complex, and layered struggles in their relationship with food and body.
Why is the LGBTQIA+ Community More Vulnerable to Disordered Eating?
- Body Image and Identity
- Increased rates of body dysmorphia and body dissatisfaction in these populations and may lead to attempts to use food or exercise in an effort to manipulate body shape/size
- Social Stigma
- Discrimination and overall lack of empathy often leads to greater levels of stress and overall mental health concerns in the LGBTQIA+ community. Disordered eating may arise as a resulting coping mechanism in some cases
- Perceived Lack of Control
- Realizing that your gender identity and/or sexual orientation may be more atypical than typical is inevitably a bit scary. Deviating from the “norm” is both brave and frightening. Turning towards food (or even restricting food) can provide a sense of comfort.
Addressing eating disorders within the LGBTQIA+ community requires a nuanced understanding of these intersecting factors and tailored approaches to support and treatment. N&S is committed to providing just that.
Now, where can you find the fun in CLT this month?!
How Can I Get Involved?
Charlotte PRIDE events:
- Charlotte PRIDE Week (August 9-16)
- Pride Kickoff Drag Brunch at Catalú – Saturday, August 10th 11am-2pm
- Pride Poster Party at Time Out Youth – Monday, August 12th 6:30pm-8pm
- CLT PRIDE Dancing and Drag Queens at HopFly – Wednesday, August 14th 6:30pm-7:30pm
- Glowing with Pride Yoga at Lenny Boy – Thursday, August 15th 6:30pm-8:30pm
- Charlotte PRIDE Festival and Parade (August 17-18)
All of this being said, one of the easiest ways to get involved is just to let your community know that you are there. Be willing to listen. And if you are someone that could use a listening ear, N&S is here for you, too.
Happy Charlotte PRIDE!