WHY PLEDGE?
WHEN YOU CELEBRATE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND LGBTQ PEOPLE, YOU SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY!
MENTAL HEALTH
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions — especially depression and anxiety disorders.
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LGBTQ+ adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition.
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Transgender individuals are nearly four times as likely as cisgender individuals (people whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex) to experience a mental health condition.
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LGBTQ+ youth also experience greater risk for mental health conditions and suicidality.
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LGBTQ+ youth are more than twice as likely to report experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness than their heterosexual peers.
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Transgender youth face further disparities as they are twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide, and attempt suicide compared to cisgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning youth.
Demonstrating support and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community can mitigate health risk factors (rejection, trauma, substance use, homelessness, suicide).
Sources: National Alliance on Mental Health and Healthy People 2030
ECONOMICS
American LGBTQ households make 16% more shopping trips a year than average US households, and they buy more at checkout. LGBTQ households spent an average of $4,135 at retail stores in 2014 - this is 7% more spending than non-LGBTQ consumers.
55% of LGBTQ consumers do business with companies that commit to diversity, versus 34% of non-LGBTQ consumers. Additionally, 58% of LGBTQ consumers are more likely to buy from companies that market to the LGBTQ population.
Check out the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's LGBT Inclusion Hub for Small Businesses
Sources: 2019 US Census, 2016 William Institute Census, 2015 Nielsen report, Harris Interactive.
HISTORY
2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Early in the morning of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village bar that had become a staple of New York City's underground gay community. Tired of the ongoing raids, community members fought back during the raid, sparking what would become known as The Stonewall Riots.
A year later, the first Gay Pride March was held in New York City to commemorate The Stonewall Riots. The New York Times reported that the marches took up the entire street for about 15 city blocks. The march took a positive stance against discrimination and violence toward LGBTQ people, and started an important movement that would only spread and grow.
Fast forward to today, where annual Pride celebrations are held across the globe to promote the self-affirmation, dignity and equal rights of LGBTQ people, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance.
The inaugural Pride Franklin County, Pa., was held on August 5, 2018 at Wilson College. Over 1,000 people were in attendance.