Abstract
Co-produced by LGBTIQ+ activists and academic researchers, this study gave voice to an understudied LGBTIQ+ community in Turkey to narrate their lived experiences and examined their exposure to discrimination in various areas of their lives in relation to their mental health. The study utilized a mixed-method design, where 61 individuals who identified as LGBTIQ+, aged 18-47, responded to an online survey. The quantitative tools included questionnaires assessing mental well-being, psychological symptoms, resilience, and perceived discrimination. Qualitatively, participants responded to open-ended questions regarding their lived experiences, such as coming out, access to healthcare, and self-care practices. Participants were frequently exposed to various forms of discrimination, which were associated with lower mental well-being and higher psychological symptoms. However, personal resilience factors lowered or diminished the negative role of discrimination on mental health. Identity-based lived experiences and practices further provided an in-depth picture of life of LGBTIQ+ individuals in this community and how they overcome adversity.