“According to a new study [...] homosexuals and bisexuals are about 50% more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to suffer from depression and abuse drugs [...] most likely due to the lifelong stresses caused by the discrimination and rejection that homosexuals and bisexuals suffer from.” (From About.com’s Depression Blog post, Homosexuality Strongly Linked to Depression and Suicide)

“Researchers at the University of Minnesota have published a study showing that the degree of internalized homonegativity (negative attitude towards homosexuality) among homosexual men is what predicts poor mental and sexual health – not the act of being homosexual.” (From ScienceDaily.com article, Homosexuals’ Negative Feelings About Sexuality Predict Poor Mental And Sexual Health)

Aside from it being the beginning of Election Day 2008, yesterday morning was a fairly regular morning. I woke up, let Miss Penny Lane outside, took Chopper for a stroll, poured myself some coffee (yes, my animals come before my coffee – and they’re the only things), and turned on the ol’ Compaq to check my email and begin the day.

It was at that point – the “check my email” point – that I saw over 10 emails from Momma Sparks, all of which were titled “Wow!”, “OMG!”,”Read this!”, or something similar.

And all the excitement was over…? Surely something uber important and presidential, right?

Nope. It was ABC’s ruling to break up the Grey’s Anatomy lesbian couple Callie Torres and Erica Hahn, and ultimately send Hahn packing (or driving, as we’re told that’s how it’ll happen).

There’s been a lot of commotion of this development, and the general consensus is that there’s some serious homophobia going on at ABC. Consensus that’s only being fanned by the departure of Alexis Meade (Rebecca Romijn), a transgendered character on Ugly Betty; the potential departure of Carmelita (Candis Cayne), a transgendered character on Dirty Sexy Money; and the apparent Changing of the Orientation for a new Grey’s Anatomy character Sadie (Melissa George), who was supposed to be bisexual and interested in Callie, but who will now…well, not be.

Does any of this warrant speculation? Personally, I think so (and I worry about the fate of Kevin and Scotty on Brothers & Sisters – I mean, geez, ABC, they’re still newlyweds!). But I speculate everything, so be your own judge.

In any event, if there is something to the removal of all these homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered characters on ABC…well, isn’t this the same kind of behavior that leads to the studies and findings I quoted above…? I’m not blaming ABC for all the homonegativity in the world, obviously, but…well, I just thought we’d come a longer way than that.

EDIT: Later this same day…After conversing with b5media’s very own Ugly Betty expert Tom Landers of Ugly Betty News, I’ve learned that Rebecca Romijn’s departure from Ugly Betty was a culmination of her real-life pregnancy (an event that would be difficult to write into a transgendered character’s role) and a lack of new storylines for Romijn’s character, Alexis Meade. 

Too, let’s keep in mind that several homosexual characters on various ABC shows are still around. It doesn’t appear that ABC is wiping out all gay characters.

Post from: Blisstree

Homonegativity: What’s The Deal, ABC?

Whoa! I have had one hectic week! Most of it has been work-related, so I’m not complaining (when one is a freelance writer and editor, one doesn’t complain when work gets hectic), but I’ve barely been able to leave my desk long enough to take Chopper outside.

Next week is going to be just as hectic, but that’s mostly because of all the big plans I have for Mental Health Notes, as well as something special all of us in the b5media Health & Wellness Channel are cooking up.

Oooh, I bet you’re curious now.

Have patience and, in the meantime, enjoy this week’s Saturday Sanity!

This week at Mental Health Notes, Aside from telling you about brain foods for vegetarians and the history of the emoticon, as well as making a few announcements (see below), I didn’t do a whole lot of writing (I told you – it was a hectic week!). Fortunately, Airdrie Miller (remember her?) wrote a very special four-part guest series for Mental Health Notes about her battle with depression. If you missed it, backtrack and catch up with part one, part two, part three, and part four. I feel very blessed that she shared her story here.

Regarding mental health advocacy, Project Helping Hands is now also offering mental health resources to Hurricane Ike victims, NAMI has established a special fund to help Gustav and Ike victims, Mental Health America has launched its Vote for America’s Mental Health campaign, and the DBSA has launched a support group for parents of people with mood disorders.

In the world of mental health news, mental health professionals seem to be choosing methods that aren’t proven effective over methods that are proven effective when treating children suffering from PTSD, researchers are still linking pot and psychosis (did I read another study about that once?), overbearing parents may be fostering obsessive children (hmm…kind of like college students having low self-esteem because of their parents’ high expectations?), and homosexual men are experiencing poor mental health due to homonegativity (which is a “negative attitude towards homosexuality”).

Here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel, we’re as busy as always:

• Kelly at Grounded Fitness wants to tell y’all about her GoTrybe.com one-year membership giveaway.
• Marijke at Womb Within wants to promote National Seat Check Saturday (which takes place today!).
• Karen at Pink Ribbon Review is recruiting people to join her team for Lee National Denim Day.
• Liz and Mary Emma remind us that today is the deadline to submit to the All About Alzheimer’s Carnival.

Enjoy your Saturdays!

Image: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Putting An End To A Hectic Week