Discrimination, broadly, is a term used to describe the mistreatment of people based on things like race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, ability, age, and other parts of people’s identities. 

It can appear in the courthouse, in school, at work, at home, even on Capitol Hill. Sometimes, it can be hard to notice right away (e.g., covert discrimination or microaggressions).¹ In the United States, there have been massive efforts to combat discrimination, but unfortunately, it persists. Recent studies show nearly 70% of Americans have experienced some form of discrimination, and higher rates of experience with discrimination are related to poorer mental health outcomes and higher risk of suicide.²

Stigma refers to negative stereotypes, prejudices, views, and misconceptions about certain people or identities. It’s an unfortunate consequence of discrimination. In the case of mental health, it usually refers to unfair, negative assumptions about people who have mental health conditions like major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and others. Common stereotypes about people with mental health conditions are that they are “lazy” or “crazy.” 

These kinds of assumptions about people are hurtful. Long-term stigma can cause shame, which can make it harder to practice self-compassion and get help and care when you need it.

Despite higher visibility and acceptance for LGBTQ+ folks, discrimination targeted toward LGBTQ+ people is still a major issue. Anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced and passed across the nation at staggering rates,³ and interpersonal discrimination is still common for many LGBTQ+ folks who experience familial and social rejection at higher rates than their straight, cisgender peers.⁴

Transphobia, the hatred, fear, and practice of discrimination against transgender or nonbinary people, is incredibly painful to endure. Trans folks face undue amounts of violence, barriers to care and employment, and explicit, legal discrimination in many states. Misinformation and ignorance about transgender and nonbinary people often contributes to this violence and discrimination.

Homophobia and biphobia, prejudice and hatred toward gay and bisexual people, is similarly challenging. Unwelcoming homes and a hostile social climate have also made a major impact on the mental health of LGBTQ+ people. They are at significantly heightened risk for PTSD, depression, and other mental health conditions—not because of who they are, but because of the way they’re often discriminated against in society. These conditions can become all the more difficult for racially marginalized LGBTQ+ folks who also face the burden of white supremacy. Coping with phobia can be very difficult. That’s why access to safe and accepting mental health care and affirming communities is so important.

Living through discrimination and stigma is far from easy. Understandably, it can inspire a range of emotional reactions; it can make people feel angry, ashamed, and afraid. It can even contribute to physical and mental health problems—though it’s important to note that isn’t inherently because of who you are but because of the negative impact of prolonged mistreatment.

Discrimination and stigma are created by complex systems of power that benefit those who are white, wealthy, cisgender, and heterosexual, and marginalize those who are not.

Long-held attitudes of fear and misunderstanding toward usually oppressed, marginalized people create stigma. These attitudes developed over time into malicious beliefs that certain people are lazy, crazy, dangerous, uneducated, creepy, and more. There are a few kinds of stigma:

• Public stigma is the negative or discriminatory attitudes held by the general public
• Self-stigma or internalized stigma refers to negative attitudes about yourself that reflect those held by the public
• Institutional stigma is more systemic, involving policies (whether at a government or corporate/organizational level) that limit opportunities for certain people

Common kinds of discrimination include:

• Employment discrimination: Unfair treatment, targeted work policies, or denial of work
• Housing discrimination: Denial of housing, maintenance or repair, or unsafe living conditions
• Healthcare discrimination: Lack of access to healthcare or outright denial of treatment
• Legal discrimination: Laws and policies expressly written to marginalize or create disadvantage for certain people
• Harassment, abuse, and violence, interpersonally, institutionally, or otherwise
• Microaggressions: Thinly veiled, covert, sometimes unintentional instances of bias, sometimes arising as slights, insults, or gestures

These kinds of discrimination (and related stigma) take on different forms, including:

• Racism & white supremacy
• Misogyny: prejudice against women
• Ableism: prejudice against disabled people
• Ageism: prejudice based on a person’s age
• Homophobia, lesbophobia, and anti-LGB stigma
• Transphobia: fear and hatred against trans and nonbinary people

It’s common to experience multiple forms of discrimination at once, or different kinds at different times. This is called intersectionality.⁵ Basically, we are each empowered and oppressed by the intricate ways in which the parts of our identities intersect and how those intersections relate to systems of power (race, gender, class, etc). 

A minority-stress framework can be useful for understanding how each of us is impacted by discrimination. Distal factors (things from the outside world like hate and prejudice) and proximal factors (things like shame, inside feelings developed as a result of distal factors) are balanced out by resilience factors (things that help you survive and thrive, like community, pride, and culture). 

The consequences for your mental health vary widely based on what discrimination you might experience, and how much protection you have against it. 

It’s important to note that if you experience marginalization, that doesn’t mean you’re inherently prone to mental health challenges just because of who you are, but because of how you’re mistreated in society.

Discrimination and stigma can be big challenges to your health and happiness. Even one experience with mistreatment can hurt.

Repeated discrimination can make a deep impact. Sometimes, mental health struggles can arise as a consequence of long-lasting discrimination.

Discrimination and stigma can create complex problems. Aside from dealing with lack of access to healthcare, housing, and more, it can be difficult to cope with the challenges to your mental health, but it is all the more important. 

If you’ve experienced discrimination or felt the impact of stigma, you are not alone. Here are some resources we’ve collected to help you understand systems of oppression, and how to cope with your experiences.

1. National Public Radio. Microaggressions are a big deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away
2. American Psychological Association. The Impact of Discrimination
3. American Civil Liberties Union. Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2024
4. The Trevor Project. Facts About Suicide Among LGBTQ+ Young People
5. Kimberle Crenshaw. Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color