Liberty Features

Suicide more common within gay community

By Dermot Keyes

A greater threat of suicide among the gay and lesbian community exists in socially disadvantaged areas, such as the Liberties, according to a local support group.

Kieran Rose, of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), told The Liberty that while the suicide rate among homosexuals was rising at a faster rate than the hetrosexual population, "people from disadvantaged areas would face greater problems". Rose was responding to the Department of Health’s refusal to deal with gay suicide as a separate issue. A spokesman for the Department of Health’s National Task Force on Suicide said that a separate category dealing specifically with gay suicides was considered unnecessary in a recent report. "It was felt that the recommendation towards the reduction and prevention of suicide would equally apply to all members of the population."

The report is an accumulation of various viewpoints. Some have been omitted and some have been included. Rose said that GLEN had "made submissions to the task force" and that they had been completely ignored.

GLEN are unhappy with the Department’s refusal to recognise an American study which stated that gay men are six times more likely to commit suicide than heterosexual men, with lesbians twice as likely as heterosexual women. They are determined to keep the pressure on Minister Brian Cowen to take action on the issue. "Its one of those issues you have to keep lobbying on." Rose warned that government failure to deal with the suicide issue and prejudice against homosexuals could have serious consequences, adding that "the effect of prejudice is that people’s lives are being destroyed".

GLEN, situated in the Outhouse building on South William Street, is attempting to "counter act the myth of gay men being rich, well off and well educated". Though this image of gay men may have held some truth in the past, Kieran Rose claims that such a statement no longer holds water.

Gay suicide may finally be addressed by the Department of Health, if a suicide research group, as suggested by the Task Force on Suicide, is established. The Department’s spokesman said that "lesbian and gay groups will have access to it (the research group) to submit their views".