Humans are social beings that require a sense of belonging. In medieval times, people lived in communities governed by a system of idiosyncratic norms and cultural traditions. Anyone who exhibited unorthodox behavior was banished or ousted from the community. The evolution of man has brought enormous changes in how we interact with each other and the environment. Our perception of what is acceptable and correct is defined by a constitution that can be amended if a significant majority deems specific actions and practices right. Some people may hold their ancestral teachings and be intolerant to other people's lifestyles even though constitutional.
The minority communities living in America face discrimination. Racism is one of the central prejudicial vices that the world is facing. Coming from the minority sect in the U.S and being gay is likened to double trouble. However, the LGBTQ community pride in their way of living and continue to advocate for equal treatment and opportunities (Blendon & Casey, 2019) . State and federal laws have been enacted to ensure equal and fair treatment to all American citizens. Incidence of discrimination with evidence to support a claim can have dire consequences to the offender. Therefore, it is the responsibility of each citizen to show respect and preserve an enabling environment for everyone to enjoy their freedom and rights.
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Latinos have a strong affiliation with a culture that dictates the code of conduct among community members. Declaring oneself queer and adopting a lifestyle unconventional to most community members is a sure way to attract stigma from society. Incidentally, a quarter of LBTQ members report they never seek support from family and healthcare facilities if need be, lest they face discrimination that will lower their spirit (Kamen, et al., 2019) . Family members to gay individuals hesitate or do not offer financial or medical support. Advancement in education level is thought to reduce the severity of discrimination. However, on the contrary, discrimination exacerbates since the discriminator is intimidated by an erudite who identifies with a non-heterosexual sexual orientation.
Bodily changes occur during adolescence. At this point, one may know the attraction preferred and their gender identity. A Latino stemming from a cultural background where heterosexual orientation is the norm may hide their identity in fear of stigmatization and intolerance from heterosexual peers (Eaton & Rios, 2017) . A member of LGBTQ may deny their true self while identifying with the conventional sexual orientation to gain an advantage in job placements, school enrollment, and access to government services such as universal healthcare.
For assimilation, an LGBTQ person may live a double life, which can have reduced happiness, low quality of life, and mental health-related issues. 66% of LGBTQ adolescents are likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual peers (Schmitz, Robinson, Tabler, Welch, & Rafaqut, 2020) . Half of the youths who attempted suicide were within the same year that the LGBTQ member revealed their preferred sexual orientation. Therefore, coming out is a dangerous action that should be approached prudently to avoid stress to an LGBTQ person. A heterosexual oriented community affects LGBTQ members by straining their innate emotional intelligence through passing. Passing is identifying as a heterosexual to avoid discrimination and assimilate seamlessly into society.
Structured stigmatization is a challenge faced by the Latino minority, who are also considered people of color. However, the severity of discrimination by color is less than an African American who contains a lot of melanin and a darker skin tone. Regardless, Latinos identifying with the LGBTQ community are reported to have mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts (Gray, Mendelsohn, & Omoto, 2015) . Environmental changes where people are tolerant of unusual orientations promote well-being to the LGBTQ individuals enhancing their productivity in their environment and society.
Latinos are known for their aggressive and sometimes violent behavior, especially among men. Statistical data shows that Latinos of the millennial generation is not afraid to come out. The data indicates a fifth of Latino millennials identify with the LGBTQ community compared to 14% of African Americans, less than 10% of Asians, and 13% of Whites, who are the majority (Hall, 2018) . Although the number of those identifying with the LGBTQ community is high, the discrimination is also higher as contrasted with other ethnic groups. Majorly, this observation is attributable to the conservative religious and social norms practiced by Hispanics.
Women in a patriarchal society feel constrained by the dos and don'ts associated with gender. A transgender Latina girl describes a dissociation with herself. She conflicts with the decorum that she was taught by her mother and the changes she has encountered that shaped her identity. Hence, she is bold about her orientation and would advocate for women who do not seek justification from a paternal society. Discrimination and stigmatization exist, but suppression and defensive dissociation mechanisms help in alleviating stress.
Religious institutions reinforce stigmatization and detest LGBTQ as ungodly and sinful (Severson, Munoz-Laboy, & Kaufman, 2014) . This notion is rooted in structural stigmatization that leads to distress and leaves the victim in a dilemma between the doctrines and teachings of early faith as a child and the newfound community that is diffusing warmth and familial. Some victims choose to abandon religion altogether to alleviate stress, while some continue through a meticulous structure that protects their mental health. The number of LGBTQ communities is imminently growing, and it is hard to ignore their community presence. Recently, the Pope endorsed the celebration of same-sex marriages in the Roman Catholic Church as holy matrimony. Perhaps a paradigm shift is created for the Catholic Church's followers who were intolerant to the LGBTQ community.
Sexual orientation is not apparent from the phase value. The dominating masculine features categorize lesbians, or some may retain their feminine physic and behavior. LGBTQ persons of this nature can be accepted in the family if they are consistent with acceptable norms in terms of speech, dressing, conduct, and good social relations. On the other hand, men are identified as gays by a gaudy display of feminine qualities such as code of dressing, verbal and non-verbal communication, and excessive use of cosmetics (Kamen, et al., 2019) . If the victim is willing to abandon the LGBTQ ways, they can win back their parents' hearts and restructure the family bond. The compromise by the victim is likely to be detrimental and increase stress levels that deteriorate mental health.
Discrimination is a psychological stressor that is common among the LGBTQ community, similar to persons with disabilities. The stressors create an uncomfortable situation that requires the victim to evoke a fight or flight response. Fighting would be offense and chaotic. Therefore, the best alternative is to flee from an uncomfortable environment. A lot of therapy sessions help in ensuring a stoic demeanor in the face of persecution. Moreover, creating a positive correlation helps in regulating mood and reducing the intensity of irritability when discriminated. To attain such a mastery level requires a lot of practice and time to learn and restructure neural pathways.
The teachings from childhood to adulthood greatly influence behaviors and character. Additionally, the environment in which one is predisposed can have a profound influence on character development. Suppose Latino youths are educated not to look down upon others, more especially the non-heterosexual community. In that case, they may develop a nondiscriminatory perspective of the LGBTQ community that will reduce mental health concerns among the minority groups (Gray, Mendelsohn, & Omoto, 2015) . Consequently, promoting an integrated, holistic environment conducive for all regardless of differences in belief. An inclusive environment will ensure a reduction in mental health disorders and suicide-related deaths.
The heinous slave trade took many years of advocacy to abolish. Unions were created to promote the rights and freedom of African Americans. The unions, a shelter to protect the minority living in the U.S, proved fruitful, and their needs were heard and taken care of by the federal government. However, racial injustices still exist, violence-based discrimination between police and African Americans, and the poverty among African American families is still high. Similarly, the campaign against discrimination of the LGBTQ community is a journey that will require sensitization of the public on the importance of equality in shared resources, opportunities, and respect of each other's' differences.
References
Blendon, R. J., & Casey, S. L. (2019). Discrimination in the United States: Perspectives for the future. Health Services Research , 1467-1471.
Eaton, A. A., & Rios, D. (2017). Social challenges faced by queer Latino college men: Navigating negative responses to coming out in a double minority sample of emerging adults. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology , 457.
Gray, N. N., Mendelsohn, D. M., & Omoto, A. M. (2015). Community connectedness, challenges, and resilience among gay Latino immigrants. American Journal of Community Psychology , 202-214.
Hall, R. E. (2018). The Bleaching Syndrome Per Colorism Pathology: LGBTQ Perpetuation of Discrimination. American Behavorial Scientist , 2055-2071.
Kamen, C. S., Alpert , A., Margolies, L., Griggs, J. J., Darbes, L., Smith-Stoner, M., . . . Norton, S. A. (2019). Treat us with dignity: a qualitative study of the experiences and recommendations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) patients with cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer , 2525-2532.
Schmitz, R. M., Robinson, B. A., Tabler, J., Welch, B., & Rafaqut, S. (2020). LGBTQ1 Latino/a Young People's Interpretations of Stigma and Mental Health: An Intersectional Minority Stress Perspective. Society and Mental Health , 163-179.
Severson, N., Munoz-Laboy, M., & Kaufman, R. (2014). At times, I feel like I'm sinning": The paradoxical role of non-LGBT-affirming religion in the lives of behaviourally bisexual Latino men. Culture, health & sexuality , 136.
