Can childhood LGBTQ stigma harm adult romantic relationships decades later?

Imagine being laughed at for something as simple as liking to play with dolls or pretending to be a superhero, that’s stigma, and it can stick around for a really long time.

Stigma is like getting teased for wearing your favorite shirt every day. If someone keeps telling you it's silly or weird, it might make you feel shy or even sad about something you love.

Now, picture this: if someone grows up being teased for who they are, maybe because they're gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or any other identity in the LGBTQ group, those feelings of being teased can stay with them all through life. They might feel nervous or unsure about showing their true self to others when they grow up and fall in love.

That’s why people who had a tough time growing up because of stigma might have more trouble feeling happy in their adult relationships. It's like having a little voice inside that says, “What if they don’t like me for who I am?”

But here's the good news, just like a kid can learn to love wearing that same shirt even after being teased, people can also learn to be brave and love themselves, and others, no matter what.