Sexual and gender minority youth in Israel navigating war and marginalization: Perspectives of mental health professionals

Background Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth face unique vulnerabilities in times of war, as minority stress intersects with national crises, exacerbating psychological distress and social marginalization.Objective This qualitative study explores how the October 7th war in Israel affected SGM youth, drawing on interviews with 20 mental health professionals working with this population. Using thematic analysis, four central themes emerged: (1) The War as an Intensifier of Minority Stress, where existing mental health disparities were exacerbated due to heightened national anxiety, displacement, and militarization; (2) Identity Conflicts and Social Alienation, SGM youth struggled with national belonging and global queer solidarity, leading to experience forced re-closeting or identity suppression; (3) Emotional Disconnection and the Delayed Impact of War, where avoidance and emotional detachment were observed as coping mechanisms, raising concerns about long-term psychological consequences; and (4) The Struggle for Visibility, Rights, and Recognition, as professionals emphasized the deprioritization of SGM issues in national discourse and barriers to accessing affirming mental-health services.Conclusion The findings underscore the compounded vulnerabilities of SGM youth in armed conflict zones, highlighting the need for targeted, culturally-competent interventions and future research into long-term mental health outcomes and the experiences of other ethnocultural groups of SGM youth.