For many years we have seen an increase in chosen families becoming commonplace in Jamaica within the queer community.

Predominantly, these families are a vital source of support for LGBTQ+ youth, especially those who may not have a supportive biological family as the status quo dictates that many LGBTQ+ individuals face rejection and discrimination from their own families of origin due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This may lead to a loss of support and a sense of isolation, which can have a profound impact on one’s mental health. For these very reasons it is imperative that we explore the impact of chosen families on the overall development of LGBTQ+ youth and its relevance to promoting acceptance and support within families and, by extension, society.

The LGBTQ+ community is a diverse collection of communities and individuals, each with their own strengths, needs, and experiences. Contemporary research suggests that gender and sexual identity development is a fluid, dynamic process that begins as early as three years old and continues into adulthood. This is in line with recent brain research, which has discovered that teenage brain growth continues until one’s mid-20s. While forming one’s identity is a lifelong process, the formative years are the most crucial. This can be a particularly difficult process, especially for trans and gender non-conforming (GNC) individuals, who do not always satisfy social and cultural norms.

The Caribbean has a long history of resistance to Western-imposed norms and values, including gender norms and sexual orientation. For example, in Jamaica there is a rich cultural heritage of the “gully” or “B boy” culture, within which individuals who do not conform to gender norms are celebrated and accepted. However, this acceptance does not always extended to the wider society as homosexuality is still considered taboo and illegal in many countries in the Caribbean, including Jamaica.

Typically, in light of this, LGBTQ+ people experience significant levels of discrimination, victimisation, and harassment on the basis of their gender identity and sexual orientation as they transgress normative gender expectations as perpetuated by the gender binary or the rigid system that makes the assertion that there are only two genders: man and woman. As such, due to the sheer influence of this restrictive gender binary, LGBTQ+ individuals, and specifically trans people, are not regarded as valid entities in society and are subsequently erased. This erasure is evidenced by the lack of current statistics concerning the prevalence of trans identities worldwide and the high rates of human rights violations being reported.

One of the many elements that will play into the healthy identity development of queer youth is positive familial involvement, which looks at the degree of success to which families supply social support and create a safe space that is conducive to their child being fully affirmed and feeling a sense of belonging. As such, with the necessary care and support being withheld by their biological families, trans and LGB individuals — mostly youth — are chastised and rejected.

Research has shown that having a supportive network is essential for the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that LGBTQ+ youth who had a strong sense of belonging and support from family, friends, and community had better mental health outcomes compared to those who lacked support. This study highlights the importance of having supportive relationships for the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. Over time, through the proliferation of chosen families, more spaces have developed within the community as havens to rescue these young LGBTQ+ individuals by bridging the social gap to offer support (whether physical, emotional, and mental), love and care. Nevertheless, there is evidence to prove that chosen families have been able reintegrate them into the world.

Chosen families can play a critical role in filling this gap for LGBTQ+ youth. These families are often made up of friends, partners, and community members who provide a sense of belonging, love, and support. This can be especially important for young people who may not have a supportive biological family. By having a chosen family, LGBTQ+ youth can find acceptance, validation, and belonging that they may not have experienced elsewhere. Having a chosen family can help to mitigate the risks of homelessness and poverty, which are significant challenges for many LGBTQ+ individuals.

Normalising and promoting education about the prevalence of chosen families within the Jamaican LGBTQ+ community is imperative as it leads to wider public discourse and steers conversations on its relevance as well as the different ways in which recommendations regarding policy and legislation can be made. There should be policy and legislative measures in place that recognise and support chosen families as a source of care and support as seen with adoptive families. For instance, if a queer child is displaced from their biological family home and is now existing within a chosen family space, the option should be given to the house leader or parent to act as that child’s legal guardian. Similarly, some families, upon knowing the sexual orientation or gender identity of their child, may choose to shun or neglect them totally, thereby denying them that sense of belonging and security, and in extreme cases, banish them from their homes.

Familial relationships tend to impact queer mental health in a variety of contexts, stemming from stigma and discrimination experienced daily due to queerphobia. Likewise, the desire to remain with their families and the need to maintain a secure environment due to the various familial heteronormativity, teenage autonomy, emotions, and family expectations involved in navigating identity, belonging, and security was made harder and had a significant influence on queer youth’s mental health and well-being. Thus, improving the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth necessitates a deeper awareness of the emotionality of familial relationships as well as the challenges of navigating them as a young person.

Chosen families are a necessary source of support for LGBTQ+ youth in Jamaica and the Caribbean. By providing a sense of belonging, love, and practical support, chosen families can help to improve the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. It is important for society to acknowledge the relevance of chosen families and support initiatives that promote the development of these families for LGBTQ+ individuals who may not have a supportive biological family.

Lamar Grant is policy and advocacy coordinator at TransWave Jamaica. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lamar@transwaveja.org.