MHM Magazine

If you don’t have the knowledge or background information, it also becomes very important to ask the young person questions that are non-invasive, but will assist with the process of referral and open up an opportunity for them to share, in order for them to get the urgent help they need. Inevitably, the best solution is to become an empowered healthcare professional, and to respond effectively by learning about SOGIESC by accessing resources that are freely available online and via queer civil society organisations. (See list of downloadable resources at the end of this article). Tragically, the systemic oppression inherent in schools and in society, upholding gender binary 5 and heteronormative beliefs has dire consequences for queer youth. South Africa has high rates of suicide recorded amongst school attending youth, and sadly many of these young people who experience depression, suicide ideation, attempt suicide and/or succeed in ending their lives, are queer identifying. On 16 August 2022, Tiro Moalusi, a 15-year-old learner attending PJ Simelane Secondary School in Soweto, died by suicide after being bullied by a student teacher who ridiculed Moalusi’s gender expression in class. Tiro Moalusi joins a list of youth suicide cases in SA in 2022, including 14-year- old Lukhanyo Jonqo from Cumakala after being bullied by his classmates for being gay, and 14-year-old gay teen Mpho Falithenjwa from Orange Farm, who also experienced bullying and public mockery at school. These painful losses affect communities in complex ways, and further motivates for trauma containment and mental health support services for queer youth, especially in schools. The healthcare professionals who provide counselling and therapy to LGBTIQ+ youth certainly extends further than the school councillor, and the school environment. Parents, who can afford to do so might engage a therapist if their child comes out as queer 6 or gender non-conforming 7 , transgender 8 , or non-binary 9 . It’s however important to note the location of the trauma for many queer youth can be linked to the school context in dynamic ways. It matters whether the healthcare professional is knowledgeable about this particular context, much in the same way it matters whether they also understand the myriad of contexts young people engage with socially and holistically, especially online and on social media. Further solutions to this ever-increasing suicide rate amongst queer youth should also centralise the voices of youth. What do they think about these systems and beliefs upheld by adults in society who make decisions about their lives, and decide how they should identify and express themselves? What solutions can queer South African youth offer and is it important to listen to young people, in order to address these issues in society? Young LGBTIQ+ people in South Africa are facing immense challenges, and death rates are high amongst queer youth due to hate crimes, violence and suicide. The situation is volatile, and young people deserve a platform to speak up against these injustices. List of downloadable SOGIESC resources for healthcare professionals: • PsySSA (Psychological Society of South Africa) Practice Guidelines for Psychology Professionals: Working with Sexually and Gender-Diverse People. Download Link: https:// www.psyssa.com/wp-content/ uploads/2018/04/PsySSA- Diversity-Competence-Practice- Guidelines-PRINT-singlesided.pdf • WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming People. Download Link: https:// drive.google.com/file/ d/17AD9FJoyaKB2W6woE3kPU0- HQV5YkqE3/view • Gender DynamiX: Young and Transgender: Understanding the Experiences of Young Transgender Persons in Educational Institutions and the Health Sector in South Africa. Download Link: https:// drive.google.com/file/d/1pbnau_ x1y6_tZcIxGzKInfhrvuYt81vJ/view 5. Gender Binary: The system of dividing gender into two distinct categories – man and woman, thus excluding non-binary and gender non- conforming individuals. 6. Queer: An umbrella term used by those who reject heteronormativity. Although some people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed by the queer community who have embraced it as an empowering and subversive identity. 7. Gender non-conforming/non-conformity: A person who does not conform to the binary gender categories that society prescribes (man and woman) through their gender identity/expression. 8. Transgender: An umbrella term used to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. Some transgender people are binary-identified and others are not. 9. Non-binary: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’ (also often referred to as genderqueer). 2 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 2022 | Issue 4 MHM