I’ve always tried hard to understand people—because life can be heavy without the right support system. And when you add being different, unique, and confident, you quickly learn how easily people label what they don’t understand.
Over the last several years, I’ve come to understand something that I didn’t fully recognize at first: why some members of the LGBTQ community gravitated toward me. It may not have been what I assumed. It may have simply been an attempt to include me—because they know what it feels like to be judged, labeled, and ridiculed. I love on people, because I don’t want others to feel unloved, like I was.
As a spiritually minded woman of God, I’ve learned to see life through my own unique lens. Growing up in the South wasn’t easy. For a long time, I didn’t always feel loved or understood. But when I left for a season, I grew. I returned more confident, more mature, and more open-minded.
Now I can see that many people—especially those who live outside of what their families or communities consider “normal”—may not have a strong support system. Some aren’t accepted by their own families, simply because they’re choosing to live differently.
And in that way, I can relate.
Because I’ve been judged too—especially within church spaces—simply because I don’t think the way others expect me to. I grew up Christian, and that foundation still matters to me. But I also believe it’s okay to see things differently and still be devoted to the God I serve.
God has placed it on my heart to rethink my perspective—not to compromise my faith, but to deepen my understanding. I’ve learned that I’m more spiritual than religious, yet my doctrine still feeds my soul and strengthens my life. I’ve also learned that faith without love, humility, and compassion becomes noise.
At the end of the day, everybody matters.
Even when we don’t agree. Even when we don’t fully understand each other. Even when we’re still learning how to love people well.
I like to laugh, love, and play. And I truly believe most of us are just trying to live our best life—and be loved and accepted while doing it.
If we can remember that, we can build safer communities, healthier relationships, and a more honest kind of unity.
Why Love and Acceptance Improve Mental Health
Love and acceptance aren’t just “nice ideas”—they function like emotional protection. Research shows that belonging is a basic human need, and when people feel consistently rejected, isolated, or labeled, it can increase psychological distress. PubMed
When people experience genuine support—safe relationships, community, and being treated with dignity—stress becomes more manageable. Social support can buffer the effects of stress and is associated with better well-being, especially during hard seasons. PubMed
This is especially relevant for people who feel misunderstood by family or community. Studies focused on LGBTQ young adults have found that family acceptance is linked to better mental and physical health outcomes, including lower risk for depression and other harmful coping patterns. PubMed+1
And broadly speaking, strong, supportive relationships are tied not only to mental well-being but to overall health. Large meta-analyses show that the quality and quantity of social relationships are associated with major health outcomes over time—reinforcing that connection and support truly matter. PLOS+1
In other words: you don’t have to agree with someone to treat them like they belong. Respect, compassion, and human dignity can be life-giving—and mentally stabilizing.
Scholarly References
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Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. PubMed
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Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357. PubMed
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Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. PLOS+1
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Ryan, C., Russell, S. T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R., & Sanchez, J. (2010). Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23(4), 205–213.
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