Pride and the Power of Belonging
June is Pride Month—a time to celebrate community, resilience, visibility, and the progress LGBTQ+ people have fought for over generations. Across the District, Pride is an opportunity to honor the strength and contributions of LGBTQ+ communities while reflecting on how far we have come.
For many LGBTQ+ young people, Pride is also about belonging. It is an opportunity to see people who share similar experiences, connect with supportive communities, and feel affirmed for who they are. That sense of belonging matters. Research consistently shows that connection, acceptance, and community are powerful protective factors for mental health and well-being, particularly for young people navigating identity, relationships, and major life transitions1.
The importance of belonging becomes even clearer when we consider the challenges many LGBTQ+ young people continue to face, particularly when it comes to mental health and well-being. These challenges were recently highlighted in the Wanda Alston Foundation’s newly released report, Out and Counted 2026: LGBTQ+ Young People Community Survey Findings. Based on a survey of 304 LGBTQ+ young adults (ages 18–30) living in the District, the report found that:
- More than 80% reported they “lacked companionship, they felt left out, or they felt isolated from others at least some of the time”2 and
- 54% “rated their mental health as less than good, including 2% who said it was very poor, 10% who said it was poor, and 42% who said it was fair”3
These findings reflect the toll that stigma, discrimination, and exclusion can take on LGBTQ+ people, particularly young people. They also underscore the importance of ensuring that every young person has access to safe, affirming, and accessible mental health care. Unfortunately, many young people continue to face significant barriers to accessing the care they need, especially LGBTQ+ youth.
Last year, DC Action surveyed 108 young people, nearly all between the ages of 16 and 24, about their mental health needs and experiences. While the age range of this population differs somewhat from those surveyed in the Wanda Alston Foundation report, the findings tell a similar story about young people, and LGBTQ+ youth in particular, actively seeking mental health support but struggling to access it. Our survey found that:
- 65% of all respondents reported wanting mental health support but not receiving it
- 69% of gay and lesbian respondents reported wanting support but being unable to access it
- 91% of bisexual and pansexual respondents reported wanting support but being unable to access it
Our survey also found that, in addition to wanting mental health care but not receiving it, LGBTQ+ youth expressed concerns about whether care would be affirming and about where and how to access services. Specifically:
- 55% of gay and lesbian respondents and 60% of bisexual and pansexual respondents reported worrying about being judged or misunderstood when seeking mental health support, compared to 42% of all survey respondents
- 64% of gay and lesbian respondents and 50% of bisexual and pansexual respondents reported not knowing where to go for mental health support, compared to just 39% of all survey respondents.
Although DC Action’s survey could not meaningfully assess the experiences of transgender and gender-diverse youth due to a sample size that was too small for reliable analysis, existing research suggests these young people often face even greater barriers to accessing mental health care, including discrimination and difficulty finding affirming providers.
The Wanda Alston Foundation’s Out and Counted report reinforces this broader picture. One-third of respondents in their report identified a lack of LGBTQ+-affirming providers as a barrier to care, alongside concerns about stigma, privacy, and affordability.4 Even though the District funds a variety of critical programs and services, the findings from both the Wanda Alston Foundation and our survey make clear that many young people do not always experience them as accessible.
This is especially true for some of our most vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth, including those experiencing housing instability or homelessness. As both the Wanda Alston Foundation’s Out and Counted report and the 2025 Youth Count highlight (which covers single youth ages 18-24), LGBTQ+ young people are disproportionately represented among those experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness (67% and 65% respectively).5 As we explored in a previous blog, stable housing is deeply connected to well-being and mental health. As a result, LGBTQ+ youth experiencing housing instability and homelessness are at heightened risk to their mental health and have a greater need for supportive and affirming care.
While the challenges highlighted here are significant, there is also reason for hope. Much of that hope comes from LGBTQ+ people and their allies who continue to work tirelessly to combat homophobia and transphobia and to ensure that young people facing housing and mental health challenges have access to the programs and services they need and deserve.
Across the District, young people, advocates, service providers, and community organizations continue to push for systems that are more inclusive, affirming, and responsive. Organizations such as the LGBTQ Budget Coalition, Wanda Alston Foundation, SMYAL, and many others have worked to ensure that the needs of LGBTQ+ young people remain visible in policy conversations and budget decisions. This year, those efforts contributed to the DC Council’s adoption of an amendment establishing the LGBTQ Fund as a public-private partnership, creating a more sustainable structure for investing in LGBTQ+ communities and supporting community-based organizations.
That advocacy is itself a reflection of Pride. Pride has always been about more than celebration. It is also about community care, collective action, and the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to live with dignity, safety, and support.
Take Action
Young people are reaching out for support. The question is whether the system is prepared to respond.
DC Action is calling on District leaders to strengthen the youth behavioral health workforce, create pathways for providers with lived experience, expand peer-to-peer support, and bring mental health services into the spaces young people already trust.
If you believe young people in DC deserve timely, culturally responsive mental health care, add your name to our petition calling on the DC Council, the Department of Behavioral Health, and the Mayor to take action.
Sign the petition here.