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➡️ View the Report
➡️ Black Trans Report
➡️ Voting Report
➡️ State Reports
➡️ What’s Inside
➡️ Launch Video
➡️ Report Details
➡️ Share Your Story
➡️ About the Initiative
➡️ Other Research
➡️ Get in Touch
➡️ View this page in Spanish
The 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey includes responses from more than 5,600 Southern LGBTQ people, one of the largest samples ever of LGBTQ Southerners talking specifically about their health. The Survey report covers new data about LGBTQ Southerners’ physical and mental health; overall quality of care; experiences with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harming behaviors; and experiences with HIV.
The Report of the 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey is available below. Click here to read the full report.
This report was produced by the Campaign for Southern Equality in partnership with Western NC Community Health Services as a part of our Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative.
View the Report
Issue Spotlight Reports
Issue Spotlight: Health Experiences of Black Transgender Southerners
In this supplemental report, we take a look at the 131 respondents who are Black and transgender Southerners. The report examines Black transgender Southerners’ responses about their mental health, struggles accessing quality and affirming care, and disproportionately high rates of living with HIV.
Issue Spotlight: LGBTQ Voting in the U.S. South
In this supplemental report, we take a look at Survey respondents’ beliefs and behaviors when it comes to voting. The report highlights why political participation from LGBTQ Southerners is essential in increasing representation at all levels of government and building the political voice and will to achieve full legal equality.
State Reports
State Spotlight: North Carolina
More than 900 LGBTQ people in North Carolina took the 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey, and the results are gathered in this supplemental report. Key findings included significantly poor mental health, and specific disparities for Black and transgender residents.
State Spotlight: Georgia
More than 350 LGBTQ people in Georgia took the 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey, and the results are gathered in this supplemental report. Key findings included significantly high rates of HIV, poor mental health, and alarmingly high rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and anxiety, pervasive fear of violence or abuse.
State Spotlight: South Carolina
More than 400 LGBTQ people in South Carolina took the 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey, and the results are gathered in this supplemental report. Key findings included significantly high rates of poor mental health, alarmingly high rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and anxiety, pervasive fear of violence or abuse, lower rates of people living with HIV than overall Survey respondents, and the highest rate of respondents in any state saying that they do not know their HIV status.
What’s Inside
- Groundbreaking research and data about LGBTQ Southerners’ physical and mental health; overall quality of care; experiences with depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harming behaviors; and experiences with HIV. You’ll read about heartbreaking disparities that demand urgent action. You’ll also learn about positive culture changes that are already increasing access to quality care.
- Charts and Tables to help you understand more about LGBTQ Southerners and our experiences with health and healthcare.
- Stories and Quotes from folks who took the Survey, illustrating the data in more specific ways.
- Recommendations for how medical providers, training facilities, advocacy organizations, funders, government officials – and all of us, including you – can take action to improve LGBTQ Southerners’ health equity and access to quality care.
Launch Video
Report Details
Recommended Citation
Harless, C., M. Nanney, A.H. Johnson, A. Polaski, and J. Beach-Ferrara. 2019. “The Report of the 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey.” Campaign for Southern Equality: Asheville, NC.
Community Partners
AIDS Services Coalition • Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus • Beer City Sisters • Birmingham AIDS Outreach • Central Alabama Pride • El Centro Hispano • Community Estrella • Equality North Carolina • Gender Benders • ImpactOUT • Nelwat Ishkamewe • Latinos in the Deep South • Mississippi Rising Coalition • The Montrose Center • Dr. Amy Murphy-Nugen • North Carolina Asian Americans Together • The PAIGE Memphis • POZ-Empowerment • Queer Appalachia • Relationship Unleashed • South Carolina Equality • Transcend Charlotte • Transcend Memphis • Transform Houston • Twin Oaks Gathering
Foundation Support
Thank you to the foundations that supported this work, including the Laughing Gull Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Oak Foundation, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the Solidaire Network (a fiscally sponsored project of Proteus Fund), and the Amy Mandel and Katina Rodis Fund. We are also grateful to the individuals and families whose donations to our Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative have made this work possible.
Project Leadership
Chase Harless, MSW • Principal Investigator • Research and Evaluation Consultant, Campaign for Southern Equality
Megan Nanney, M.S. • Lead Data Analyst • Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Austin H. Johnson, Ph.D. • Research Director, Campaign for Southern Equality • Assistant Professor of Sociology, Kenyon College
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara • Executive Director, Campaign for Southern Equality
Adam Polaski • Communications Director, Campaign for Southern Equality
Kayla Gore • Lead Survey Ambassador Project Consultant, Campaign for Southern Equality
Liz Williams • Cover Design • Artist in Residence, Campaign for Southern Equality
Survey Ambassadors
Ace Brooks • Anthony Curry, @HypemanAntman • Rev. Debra J. Hopkins • Yasmyne Hunter • Taryn Jordan • Tamesha Prewitt • Cecilia Saenz Becerra • Estrella Sanchez • Nia Brooke Smith • Renae M. Taylor • Cortez Wright
Share Your Story
Have you had an especially positive or particularly negative experience when it comes to your health and health care as an LGBTQ Southerner? Or are you an LGBTQ-friendly health care provider in the South? If so, we want to hear from you! Click the button to share your story with our team.
Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative
The Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative is a partnership between the Campaign for Southern Equality and Western NC Community Health Services to expand access to LGBTQ-friendly primary care, HIV care, and support services at Southern community health centers.
Other Southern LGBTQ Health Research
With this report, we are honored to contribute to an emerging effort to fill this information gap regarding the lived experiences of LGBTQ Southerners.
Get in Touch!
Contact the Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative using the form below – whether you’re a reporter looking for comment or information about the Survey Report, a researcher looking for full data tables from the Survey, or anyone looking to contact the report authors, survey ambassadors, or community partners.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
