The LGBTQ2+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, two-spirit) community suffers social and political discrimination that can impede the spread of critical mental health resources among members of the community. To provide “gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, two-spirit, gender queer, gender non-binary, trans, and other guys who are sexually and/or romantically interested in other guys” with information on mental health services, University of Toronto postdoctoral student Mark Gaspar and Dalla Lana School of Public Health assistant professor Daniel Grace developed Goodhead.ca.
Aware of the history of anxiety, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues among “guys into guys,” or “G2G,” Gaspar and Grace sought to provide members of the community with the support and research needed to find adequate mental health services.
Through humor and a positive attitude, Goodhead guides viewers through the major questions that arise on the search for health services. The website also serves as a forum for G2G to discuss their own experiences with mental health.
The University of Toronto reports that Grace is a primary investigator in the Engage study of sexual and gender minority men in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, and he includes testimonials from participants in the study on the website. Engage reveals an increased risk of addiction and other mental illnesses within the community, but the co-founders of Goodhead find that access to health services is limited.
Gaspar and Grace hope that Goodhead serves as both a safe space for the G2G community and a place for mental health professionals to learn about the needs and concerns of LGBTQ2+ individuals. To rectify the lack of information on community issues, they compiled a comprehensive list of mental, emotional, and even physical health resources that serves specialists as well as G2G.
The quality and quantity of services that benefit G2G will grow when health providers interact with the social groups they treat and shape their practices to benefit gender and sexual minority men.
Mental health professionals at Alta Loma work with you to design a custom treatment plan based on your unique needs. By inviting you to play a role in developing your own treatment, dedicated experts in addiction and other mental health issues can provide you with lifelong healing strategies. Alta Loma provides a supportive environment for all male-identifying individuals to embark on their journey to achieving emotional, mental, and spiritual health. If you are interested in beginning the path to recovery, please call us at (866) 457-3843.
