Queer Affirmative Therapy- the Need of the Hour

Queer individuals in India face discrimination at many levels in society- from their families, in their communities, at their educational intuitions, at their workplace and more. The law does not effectively protect members of the LGBTQIA+ community from facing this discrimination effectively. This trauma and alienation often manifests in the form of mental illness. In order to effectively manage and function with their mental health problems, many queer individuals may require the assistance of therapy. However, this therapy must be attuned to their specific needs since understanding their specific context is critical to understanding their struggle. It is important to raise awareness on the need for policy change and an increased presence of queer affirmative therapy. This review paper will discuss social factors and legal factors which impact the mental health of queer individuals in India and the subsequent need to develop a greater presence of queer-affirmative therapy in India.

Keywords: Queer Affirmative Therapy, Social Stigma, Minority-Stress, A