Being part of the LGBTQ+ community and living with diabetes

Looking back on what I would consider my "coming of age" years while living with diabetes, the one thing that I'm the most grateful for was realizing the impact of finding community. For me, there were two supportive groups that I needed to discover.

From my experience, those living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who are also a part of the LGBTQ+ community — like myself — are often more at risk for depression due to isolation, feelings of hopelessness, and feeling overall misunderstood. Paired with the need to constantly track glucose levels and manage injections, this can weigh heavily on many.

Fortunately, no one has to go it alone. Here's what to know about the journey of living with T1D while finding yourself and how a sense of community can help make things easier along the way.

Discovering a new me, with T1D

When I was growing up, I mostly kept to myself. I was a very quiet, introverted kid, even throughout high school. When I was diagnosed with T1D at age 14, it only added to my desire to mostly isolate myself, saving myself for a couple of friends who really "got" me.

My saving grace came shortly after I was diagnosed with T1D. When I returned to school, I was told I needed to start going to the nurse's office shortly before lunch to check my blood sugar and take my insulin. At first, I felt like I was being ostracized. I felt like I was labeled as the sick kid.

But I quickly learned that I wasn't alone.

There turned out to be six or seven other kids with T1D at my high school, and we all met at the nurse's office every day. We'd commiserate the difficult moments together and celebrate the victories. This was the first sense of community I'd ever felt.

It would be another few years before nonprofit organizations regularly began creating events and opportunities that empowered folks like me to engage with their community on an entirely new and different scale. And the community continues to grow and evolve today.

However, finding my groove in the LGBTQ+ community wasn't quite as seamless.

Learning there's more to love

A key moment in my life — in addition to being diagnosed with diabetes — was accepting that I was attracted to women. It was something that I realized quite early, not long after my T1D diagnosis, in fact. Both new developments contributed to my feeling like an outsider. I felt as if I was mainly living inside my own little world and merely tolerated what was happening on the outside.

There were no other women who were openly gay at my high school. I typically chose not to participate in any after-school activities or clubs, and I rarely went to dances or sporting events. On the rare occasion that I did go to a dance, it typically involved me going with a gay guy or one of my straight girlfriends who didn't have a date.

Eventually, when I moved to New York City for college, I was able to connect with more and more people within the LGBTQ+ community who weren't afraid to put themselves out there in a way that I had never experienced before. I immediately felt more at ease in my day-to-day life. There was no longer this lingering pressure to conceal a very real aspect of who I was.

The advantages of finding your community

Today, social media and dating apps make it even easier to find your crowd. But the fact remains that those with T1D and/or who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community need to put themselves "out there" in a way that other people don't. It can take a significant amount of mental effort and strain to take the leap and present yourself in such a way.

The anxiety and draining effect this double dose of "otherness" can have can understandably make managing T1D more difficult — as stress can cause hormonal fluctuations and make living with diabetes extra complicated.

On the other side of that coin, having already dealt with adversity with T1D, coming out as a part of the LGBTQ+ community didn't feel quite as heavy as I thought it would. I already knew what it felt like to be a little different than how I might look from the outside.

Being able to connect with others in each respective community has given me the ongoing opportunity to find support, empathy and guidance from people who have been in my situation or who have experience with things I'm curious about. I'm also now able to be that support system for others who were recently diagnosed with T1D, and I can use my 17 years in the LGBTQ+ community to meaningfully connect with and support those who have recently come out.

Being proactive in finding support

Living with T1D as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can feel like a lot of adversity to process daily. While finding your community is immensely helpful to feel less isolated, there may still be times where you may feel like an outsider.

There are still times that I feel like I need to explain myself to others. And there are still times that I feel like my "otherness" is a hindrance or a flaw. Those moments come and go. For me, they've been coming less frequently after finding my communities — but it is still important to know the resources you can turn to if/when you ever feel alone. Here are some groups to check out:

JDRF is a nonprofit organization that funds research around T1D and advocates for the approval of new treatment methods and therapies. It also provides a variety of community and activist services for individuals living with T1D.
Beyond Type 1 has a wonderful resource page for overall mental health as well as guidance around managing certain anxieties and stressors. If you're ever wondering where to seek help or who to reach out to, this is a great place to start.
GLAAD was founded in 1985 as a "protest against defamatory coverage of LGBT people" and has grown into a media monitoring organization that works to increase the acceptance of these groups. You can find personal stories from members and access a ton of helpful resources through its website.
HRC, also known as the Human Rights Campaign, has fought to ensure equal rights for LGBTQ people since its founding in 1980. Through its website, you can access an array of resources and sign up to get involved locally. They even launched an app for community volunteer opportunities.

T1D isn't a choice. Sexual orientation isn't a choice, either. A common thread here is that people can educate themselves to better understand the facts. The more we collectively educate those who aren't a part of these combined communities, the less chance that anyone who is a part of either (or both) will ever feel alone.

Looking to read up on more of the ins-and-outs of living with diabetes? Explore the Edgepark Health Insights blog to find helpful information and advice.