“It can be really hard to go back into a family environment and have to maybe go back into the closet, or be misgendered, or not hear the right name or pronouns,” Emmanuel said.
Interacting with family members that don’t affirm your identity or coming out to loved ones around the holidays can also cause stress, Emmanuel said.
Family support has a significant influence on mental health, especially for LGBTQ young people. LGBTQ young people who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support, according to a 2022 Trevor Project survey.