A psychiatrist has said that during the upcoming holiday season LGBTQ+ people have the right to shun family members who voted for Donald Trump in the presidential election.

“There’s a societal norm that if somebody is your family, that they are entitled to your time,” she said. “I think the answer is absolutely not,” Yale University child psychiatrist Dr Amanda Calhoun said on Friday (8 November).

Speaking to MSNBC viewers on Joy Reid‘s show on Friday night (8 November) she said: “If you are going through a situation where you have family members or close friends who you know have voted in ways that are against you, against your livelihood, it’s completely fine to not be around those people. It may be essential for your mental health.”

Calhoun went on to say that those who have been affected by Trump’s victory are within their right “to say, ‘I have a problem with the way that you voted because it went against my very livelihood, and I’m not going to be around you this holiday, I need to take some space for me’.”

@msnbc In a conversation with @Joy Ann Reid on @The ReidOut with Joy Reid, Dr. Amanda Calhoun, chief resident of the Yale psychiatry program, discusses strategies for navigating relationships with family members who hold opposing political views or who voted in ways contrary to your own interests. #politics #election #family #legislation #congress #news #Donaldtrump #kamalaharris ♬ original sound – MSNBC

LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines reported a surge in calls following Trump’s decisive victory after Americans went to the polls on Tuesday (5 November).

The Trevor Project reported close to a 200 per cent increase in calls related to the election in the run-up to polling day. The numbers jumped 700 per cent following the outcome.

Chief executive Jaymes Black said the current political environment was having a significant effect on LGBTQ+ people, and it was important for them to know they “do not have to shoulder this weight alone”.

Research has revealed that 90 per cent of LGBTQ+ youngsters have been negatively affected by the rise of anti-trans rhetoric in politics, while the increasing number of anti-trans laws had fuelled close to a 72 per cent rise in suicide attempts by trans and non-binary young people.

“While alarming, we are not surprised to see that the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ politics of the past few years continue to harm young people’s mental health,” Black said. “The Trevor Project’s counsellors are here 24/7 for any LGBTQ+ young person who needs support and we will never stop fighting for your right to be safe, supported and seen exactly as you are.”

Suicide is preventable. Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). ​Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.

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