Mental G House: Providing support and warm home during Lunar New Year
February 9, 2024Mental G House's Wei Ting Hsu talks to myGwork about how it provides the LGBTQ+ community in Taiwan a warm home and mental health support during Lunar New Year.
Image Credit: Mental G House
Could you tell me a bit about your organization?
Mental G House aims to provide a warm home to our LGBTQ+ visitors. We hope that from the moment every friend steps into the door of Mental G House, they can feel a peace of mind and relaxation provided by a warm home, and that they consider Mental G House to be their real home. We provide services to help the LGBTQ+ community in this city to feel more at ease and free to participate in activities that are beneficial for their physical and mental health.
During opening hours, we provide visitors with anonymous screening and consultation, participation in lectures and regular activities, mental health counselling, and suitable venues for visitors to rest, share personal stories, and organize birthday celebrations and other activities.
What does Lunar New Year mean to you?
It is an important tradition of oriental culture, and a time for family and friends to get together.
What is your favorite Lunar New Year tradition?
The traditional food, shooting firecrackers/fireworks, receiving red envelopes, and giving New Year greetings.
Can you share some of the main challenges that the LGBTQ+ community may face during the Lunar New Year?
Firstly, receiving visitors from outside of the community, whether it’s relatives or friends, can be stressful. Therefore, we must let them know about our boundaries, to avoid conflicts and embarrassing questions.
Secondly, parents of the LGBTQ+ community can get easily overwhelmed during this time, because they also do not know how to deal with awkward questions from relatives and friends. So it's important to communicate with parents to help them understand.
Lastly, it's important to note that LGBTQ+ people are usually less likely to express their emotions when they encounter difficulties.
How could we better support LGBTQ+ individuals during Lunar New Year, especially those that may be estranged from their families?
Firstly, be harmonious. Choose topics that other people are interested in, and provide moderate mental support and care.
Secondly, show the person respect, companionship, care and friendliness, giving them praise and affirmation where possible.
Lastly, actively divert awkward questions that are not suitable for conversation.
What is your advice for someone who may still be in the closet and spending Lunar New Year with their family?
Companionship is the most basic but also the biggest challenge. This is a problem that all ethnic groups may encounter at one point. We are not different. Therefore, harmony is the first priority, and respect is the second. When a situation becomes difficult, consider making a timely exit, regulate your emotions, and set boundaries.
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