There has never been a moment when I’ve forgotten that I am both. I’m not allowed to forget.
To Be Transgender, Mentally Ill, And Still Alive
Tag: suicide
A Psychiatrist Endangered My Life and I Was Afraid to Speak Out
Folks who have never struggled with their mental health seem to think of psychiatry as a quick and easy fix. Pop some happy pills and ta-daaaa! Your struggles will magically dissolve. What these folks fail to understand (other than, like, how psychiatric medications actually work) is that, for many of us who are in the [...]
Why Aren’t We Talking About Suicide Attempt Survivors? Here Are 7 Ways to Support Them.
A third of us will attempt again within a year. So why aren't we talking about this?
Coming Out Again: Why More Queer Folks with Mental Illnesses Need to Speak Out
Illustration by Jessica Krcmarik. Many of us in the LGBTQIA+ community know all too well what it’s like to be queer with a mental illness. I know this because when I tell you that I have a mental illness, more than half of you say, “Me too.” We have these conversations on the regular – [...]
I Take “Crazy Pills” and I Am Not Ashamed
[The illustration features a place mat with an array of breakfast foods and coffee. A pair of arms rests on the mat. One hand is holding a spoon; the other hand is clutching onto a pill bottle.] I remember the first "crazy pill" that I ever took. I was on vacation in Tennessee, sitting on [...]
I Could Have Been You: An Open Letter to Leelah Alcorn
[The image features the name "LEELAH ALCORN" in uppercase letters on a ribbon banner. Above the banner is a young girl from the shoulders up. The girl is trans teen Leelah Alcorn. She has side-swept hair framing her face, a loose t-shirt, and deep, thoughtful eyes staring straight ahead.] Leelah, When I was a teenager, [...]
Amanda Bynes, Robin Williams, and the Spectacle of Mental Illness
Internet, we need to have a talk. I’ve had a number of readers ask why I’ve neglected to write about Amanda Bynes this last year. It’s simple, really. I don’t believe that celebrities are “fair game,” and that, when they have very human and very difficult struggles, I should capitalize on those things by writing [...]
