Umbrella Alliance Supports Transgender and all LGBTQ+ Individuals.
As advocates for the health, safety, and welfare of all neurodivergent individuals and our community as a whole, Umbrella Alliance US supports Transgender and all members of the LGBTQ+ community.
It is undeniable that identifying as both neurodivergent (ND) and Transgender or outside of the gender binary is common.
Equally undeniable is the fact that having multiple intersecting identities within marginalized communities reduces feelings of well-being and increases likelihood of experiencing depression, anxiety, and other, often co-occurring, mental health conditions which further reduces well-being.
Furthermore, “stigma and marginalization attached to living outside mainstream sociocultural norms,” a characteristic of members from both the ND and the LGBTQ+ communities, leads to “minority stress” and worsened health outcomes. Minority stress could come from events targeting the individual or community which include “verbal abuse…and harassment from persons in positions of authority (Sandfort et al. 2007).”
Regardless of one’s personal feelings, anyone advocating within and for the neurodivergent community must be aware that words or actions that negatively impact the health, safety, or welfare of any community member are in direct opposition to their advocacy efforts.
We do not condone nor support any behavior that is racist, ableist, or anti-LGBTQ+ and we hold accountable those individuals, including ourselves, who, purposefully or inadvertently, promote and/or encourage these behaviors.
In alignment with our values, we understand that people come to us from a variety of backgrounds and experiences which impact their behaviors. We encourage and support those who accept accountability for any previous words or actions to seek out ways to make amends, and take action, within the community to remedy harms which they have inflicted.
Works Cited:
George, R., Stokes, M.A. A Quantitative Analysis of Mental Health Among Sexual and Gender Minority Groups in ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 48, 2052–2063 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3469-1
Harker, S. (2022, August 24). The correlation between autism and sexuality and gender. Organization for Autism Research. https://researchautism.org/blog/the-correlation-between-autism-and-sexuality-and-gender/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH2ty96NCz4D_0ALqSQQZeZw1TFX6MFIw8sYt4nxZcwNQlrxqYKj3tUaAstZEALw_wcB
Meyer I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological bulletin, 129(5), 674–697. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674
