A recent study has revealed that suicide rates across both Sweden and Denmark have plummeted since both countries voted to legalize gay marriage.

The research, conducted by the Danish Research Institute for Suicide Prevention and a team from Stockholm University, compared data from participants in both same-sex and heterosexual relationships between the periods 1989-2002 and 2003-16, and identified a dramatic drop-off.

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According to the results, the number of suicides among people in same-sex unions declined by 46% between the two periods, as opposed to a fall of 28% for those in heterosexual relationships. Around 28,000 people were studied as part of the process, which took place over an 11 year period.

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In its final paragraphs, the study concluded:

“Although suicide rates in the general populations of Denmark and Sweden have been decreasing in recent decades, the rate for those living in same-sex marriage declined at a steeper pace, which has not been noted previously.”

This was echoed by the lead study author Annette Erlangsen, who went further still in saying:

“Being married is protective against suicide...Legalizing same-sex marriage and other supportive legislative measures - they might actually reduce stigma around sexual minorities.” 

Watch As Caitlyn Jenner Discusses Marriage On The Ellen Show:

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The two countries at the center of the research have historically had a relatively progressive attitude towards same-sex relationships. Denmark was the first country on earth to legalize homosexual civil partnerships, while Sweden followed suit in 1995. The two countries then elected to legalize gay marriage in 2012 and 2009 respectively. 

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However, despite the undoubtedly positive aspects of the study, the research also found that there is a long way still to go. The report also found that gay men and women, whatever their marital status, are still much more likely to take their own life. As Erlangsen told the Danish newspaper Information:

“Of course, it is positive to see that the suicide rate has almost halved. But it remains worryingly high, especially considering that the suicide rate may be higher among non-married people.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that every 40 seconds, somewhere in the world, a person dies by suicide. In total, over 800,000 people take their own life every year across the globe. Whilst this figure may seem shocking in itself, a combination of cultural factors including social taboo, the illegality of suicide in some countries and a lack of accurate data mean that if anything, it may be considered to be conservative. One trait that suicide rates throughout the world do have in common is that they are disproportionately carried out by men. Suicide is currently the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and Australia, and according to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) close to three quarters of all suicides in the UK are men, despite the fact that women are more likely to self-harm, display suicidal thoughts and attempt suicide. This disparity has been put down to a reluctance of males to ask for help for fear of embarrassment, and the tendency for men to employ more violent means, which are more likely to be fatal. However, according to the WHO’s 2015 statistics, there are three countries in the world where female suicide rates outweigh male. In the mid 1990s China had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, partly influenced by the deconstruction of the psychiatric care system under the leadership of Chairman Mao and the subsequent lack of mental health provisions in the country from the 1950s until the early 1990s. Whilst suicide rates have fallen dramatically in the intervening years, it is one of the countries bucking the trend when it comes to the male to female suicide ratio. In 2015, 9.5 for every 100,000 women took their own life in China, compared to 7.7 men, and it is now the leading cause of death for young women in the country. Most at risk are those aged between 15 to 34 and living the countryside; women in rural areas are estimated to be between two and five times more likely to kill themselves than those living in cities. In metropolitan areas, female suicide rates have fallen in recent years, with researchers putting this down to higher wages, better living conditions and increased autonomy.   It is believed that a number of factors contribute to the higher female suicide rates in China. The easy access to poisonous chemicals in the countryside - between 1996 and 2000 it was estimated that 62 per cent of suicides occurred as a result of an individual drinking pesticides - is believed to make impulsive self harm more of an option in stressful familial or shame-prompted situations. That women in rural regions often marry younger and leave education earlier than their city-based counterparts is also a factor - as women become increasingly isolated by the pressures of family life, tending to be assimilated into their husband’s family and in many cases losing contact with their own in the process. However, all of these factors are commonplace in many countries across the developing world. So what makes China different? Ingrained but archaic cultural attitudes which present suicide as a legitimate solution to a problem seem to play a role, as does the disparity in mental health provisions between men and women. Like in the West, a social stigma towards mental health conditions still exists and it is estimated that only 40 per cent of individuals with mental health issues will ever receive any form of treatment. Whilst the prevalence of antidepressants in China is rising as a whole, a 2014 study by The Economist also highlighted a lack of resources for treatment, with just 1.7 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. Women, who are seen as integral to the day-to-day running of the household, are considerably more likely to finish treatment as soon as they show signs of improvement but not necessarily before treatment is complete. Women therefore spend less time receiving help for the same issues as men, before being discharged into the same situations from which they came, to face the same pressures. Those who do undergo treatment are often subjected to practices that would, by many people’s standards, be considered brutal and dehumanising, including being chained to beds. [[heroimage||http://cdn.junglecreations.com/wp/junglecms/2017/09/GettyImages-82535382-min.jpg||A man lies shackled to a bed institutional pyjamas]] A lack of provisions in mental healthcare is also considered to have severe repercussions for women in Bangladesh. In a country with a rapidly rising population that currently stands at just over 165 million people, there exist just 500 mental health beds. Where in-patient beds cannot be found, mental health patients will be consigned to other largely unsuitable facilities including “homes for the destitute”. As in China, many women who do receive inpatient treatment are discharged to return to the home as soon as their symptoms show signs of dissipating. In rural areas, patients will often be taken to a local spiritual healer rather than a doctor and thus many individuals do not receive the treatment they require early enough. Despite the act of suicide being illegal in Bangladesh, it is estimated that in excess of 10,000 people died in this way in the country in 2015. Socially, mental health issues are still stigmatised and the Lunacy Act of 1912, which was introduced during British colonial rule and permits inequality against the mentally ill, is still in place. Generally, accurate information about female suicide in Bangladesh is harder to come by than that pertaining to China. However, the WHO records that in 2015 there were 6.6 per 100,000 female suicides for every 5.3 male suicides. There are conflicting figures, however, regarding just who these women are and what the causes may be. Depression, stalking, sexual harassment, domestic and physical violence and a feeling of powerlessness owing to inferior social status have all been cited as reasons, according to 2010 figures from Jatiya Mahila Ainjibi Samity, a women’s issues NGO based in the country’s capital Dhaka. Compounding the issue further is the fact that women are also disproportionately more likely to be killed or seriously affected by natural disasters in Bangladesh, particularly in rural areas. In 2017 alone, over eight million people have been affected by flooding, with the country also experiencing cyclones, earthquakes and landslides. In the aftermath of these events, it is not uncommon for post traumatic stress disorder and depression to manifest, and whilst the focus is on immediate disaster relief, the longterm effects of these events are often left untreated. The fact that women are less likely to seek help owing to household responsibilities and more likely to feel the impact of the socio-economic consequences of widowhood further compounds this problem, according to Nazmun Nahur, who has served as the Survivor Service Coordinator for Plan International Bangladesh. In 2004, following the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the WHO did develop a framework for psychological support after traumatic events but this is yet to be effectively implemented in Bangladesh. In another country liable to the consequences of natural disasters, Grenada, it is perhaps even harder to analyse female suicide rates as accurate record keeping is so limited. According to the WHO’s figures, 0.4 women for every 0.0 men per 100,000 people took their lives during 2015. The suicide rate for both men and women is still one of the lowest in the entire world though, and the male rate has declined sharply over the last decade, down from 5.7 per 100,000 in 2005. Notably, 2005 was also the year that the island was destroyed by Hurricane Emily, and also saw high female suicide levels compared to previous or subsequent years. However, the country is unique in one particular respect: it is the only country in the world where female suicide rates have actively and recently overtaken male suicide rates. Given the low number of suicides in the country as a whole, there is little research on what has caused this reversal of trends; Grenada has a population of just 107,000 so it is perhaps more reasonable to understand it on a case-by-case basis. However, speaking on the Facebook page of Mount Gay Hospital, one of Grenada’s mental health facilities, Dr. Narasimhan Prabhakar - who was at one point the only psychiatrist on the island - pointed to a combination of societal, community-based and individual factors for changing suicide rates in the country: “Materialism, lofty and unrealistic goals, failures, interpersonal relationship problems and easy availability of the means of doing harm to self-harm.” In what is perhaps a disturbing indication of one of the societal pressures, he also argues that people attempt to take their own lives because they are “confused about their own identity and sexual preferences” as a result of imported “American ideas”. Male homosexuality remains illegal in Grenada and it is not considered even possible for females to commit such an “offence”. There is a traditional Chinese saying that surmises that there are three solutions to a woman’s problems: “one - to cry; two - to scream; and three - to hang herself”. The World Health Organisation contends that this attitude is improving, albeit slowly, but it is clear that China still has huge strides to make in its treatment of mental health issues, particularly for women. Bangladesh has similar issues to face, lacking as it does adequate responses to gender bias and natural disasters. As for the case of Grenada, it is fair to say that more research needs to be done. However, the problem of female suicide is by no means restricted to these three countries. In Canada, the rate of suicide in young women has increased by 38 per cent in the last decade, a figure in sharp contrast to the male suicide rate which has fallen by 34 per cent. In the UK, 2016 witnessed the highest number of female suicides for a decade. Male or female, suicide is always horrendous, but it is quite clear from the progress which has been made that while mental health conditions will continue to exist - after all, the human brain is complex beyond our comprehension - the sooner facilities are improved and social stigmas quashed, the sooner this problem will be tackled, and that goes for our own countries too. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, contact Your Life Your Voice on 1 800 448 3000, Samaritans on 116 123 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline on 1 800 273 8255. For recorded information, call Mind on 0300 123 3393

A new study has found that around 20 percent of queer young adults attempted suicide last year, shining a light on a pressing issue in the LGBTQ+ community.

These results come from the Trevor Project, who conducted a study of queer people between the ages of 13 and 24. With around 34,000 respondents, it's the biggest study of its kind.

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"This ground-breaking survey provides new insights into the challenges that LGBTQ+ youth across the country face every day, including suicide, feeling sad or hopeless, discrimination, physical threats and exposure to conversion therapy," said the Trevor Project, and unfortunately, the reading isn't all good for young LGBTQ+ mental health.

Approximately 39% of LGBTQ+ youth surveyed had considered suicide over the past 12 months, and close to twenty percent of those actively attempted suicide. That number was as high as one in three for transgender youth, and the results also go through the final details of the survey.

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The survey also found that two out of three LGBTQ+ youth reported that someone had tried to "change" their orientation or their gender identity, while 71 percent of youths reported discrimination because of their status. "It’s important to note that LGBTQ youth are not at higher risk of suicide because of their sexual orientation or gender identity," Trevor Project CEO Amit Paley said in a statement.

"They are at a higher risk because they face harmful rejection and discrimination from friends, families and communities that can make them feel their lives are worth less than their straight or cisgender peers.

"That is why it is so important that we work tirelessly to let LGBTQ youth know that they are beautiful as they are, that they are deserving of respect, and that they are not alone."

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Experts hope the results will help to raise awareness about the issues LGBTQ youth face, especially to mental health professionals and loved ones of queer individuals. "Suicide is an ongoing public health crisis for young people in the US, especially among LGBTQ youth," Paley continued in his statement.

"Better understanding the mental health experiences of LGBTQ young people is a major step in addressing their significantly higher risk for attempting suicide," added Paley.

Over the last few years, the world has made significant progress in terms of LGBTQ rights. Marriage equality now exists in over 20 countries, transgender people can now legally change their genders in many places, and some nations are beginning to formally recognize individuals who identify as neither male nor female. Most recently, Australia voted 'Yes' in a country-wide referendum to legalize same-sex marriage, following in the footsteps the USA, UK, and a great deal of Europe. But some people have been waiting longer for the reform than others. 89-year-old John Challis and 85-year-old Arthur Cheeseman have been a couple for fifty years, and first got together when homosexuality was still considered a criminal activity in Oz. Their relationship has seen the introduction of adoption rights for gay couples, the establishment of discrimination laws to protect queer people's livelihoods, and a change in the age of consent to match that of heterosexual couples. And now, after half a century of witnessing progress that they probably never believed would be possible, the men can finally become a married couple. When interviewed about their thoughts on the 'yes' decision, the couple revealed their plans to wed. “Yes we are [planning to marry],” said Cheeseman, a retired pharmacist. “Just very quietly… Very simple. That’s it," added Challis. "I have got a 90^th birthday coming up next year. We might combine it with that.” They said that they'd either go to a nearby registry office in order to tie the knot, or perhaps have a civil celebrant come to the house in order to make their union official. Either way, they insist they will exercise their new marriage rights - but “not with any fuss”. The vote to legalize same-sex marriage was confirmed earlier this week after 61.6 per cent of citizens voted to allow queer individuals the same basic rights as straight people. And, though some of the debate leading up to the result was pretty fierce, the celebration of the outcome has been widespread. Pictures show thousands of people taking to the streets to celebrate in rainbow-colored attire, and the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has spoken out in support of the motion. “Australians have shown they are committed to a fair go,” said Turnbull. “They’ve said yes to commitment. They’ve said yes to marriage equality. And they’ve said yes to love. And they’ve said to the parliament ‘get on with it, get this done’.” Many celebrities also took to Twitter in order to express their joy at the result. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/kylieminogue/status/930575352681910272]] Unfortunately, the decision still faces opposition from the Australian parliament, and within hours of the 'yes' vote, new legislation was introduced that would make exemptions for religious leaders who do not want to perform same-sex marriages. Despite this, the octogenarian couple are still ecstatic about the vote. “It is not just endorsing gay marriage – it is endorsing gay and lesbian people,” said Cheeseman. “It gives us a new dignity, a new status, a new place in society. We are the same as everyone else.” As for the 38.4 per cent of people that voted 'no', hopefully the introduction of marriage equality will show them that there's nothing wrong with homosexuality, and that loving another human being shouldn't be a crime.

Taiwan's parliament has finally become the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, following a historic vote on Friday.

Back in 2017, the island's constitutional court had ruled that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry - and the government had two years to pass the changes (with the deadline on 24 May).

Three bills were discussed by lawmakers, and the government's - which was the most progressive - was passed by 66 to 27 votes.

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The bill refers to partnerships as "marriages" while others sought to classify them as "same-sex family relationships" or "same-sex unions". On top of that, the government's bill was the only one to offer limited adoption rights.

"The [government]'s bill is already our bottom line, we won't accept any more compromise," Jennifer Lu, the chief coordinator of rights group Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan told Reuters before the historic vote.

"If one of the two other bills is passed, we will launch another constitutional court challenge."

People took to the streets in celebration, with hundreds of gay rights supporters gathered in the rain outside the parliament building in the capital, Taipei.

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Others took to social media to declare their joy.

However, not everyone was happy with the result.

"The [government's] bill ignores the referendum results and that is unacceptable," conservative lawmaker Lai Shyh bao had said.

While it's the most natural thing in the world, and the reason why we're all here alive and kicking, sex sure can be complicated. As anyone who has had ever dabbled in the horizontal jog will attest to, you're not guaranteed to get off, each and every time, and regardless of how attracted you are to your current partner, you're not always going to be in the mood. A recent study published in BMK Open analysed data from a sample study taken between 2010 and 2012 that quizzed people on their sex lives. The study included 4,839 men and 6,669 women between the ages of 16 and 74 years old, who had at least one sexual experience in the last year. And the findings have certainly shone a light on why people start to lose their sex drives. Researchers discovered that 15 per cent of men and over 34 per cent of women reported a lack of interest in sex. As could be expected, they found that loss of libido was related to age, as well as physical and mental health in both sexes. It was also more prevalent in men and women who had experienced sexual assault in the past, or had been previously diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. Likewise, both parties were less likely to be in the mood if they'd faced sexual issues in the past year, or didn't feel emotionally close, or able to talk about sex with their partner. Perhaps most surprising, however, is the large discrepancy between men and women; women are over twice as likely as men to not be in the mood for sex. Conductors of the study discovered that the sexual gender gap was most often seen in people who had been in a relationship for upwards of a year. In these instances, women were likely to not share the same level of interest in sex as their partner. Now, this will not come as a surprise to many. It's natural to not have the same level of desire for your significant other after you have been together for an extended length of time. However, researchers went on to affirm just how important it is to keep the spark alive in long-term relationships. I mean, sex is proven to be good for you, after all! Ramani Durvasula, PhD and author of Should I Stay or Should I Go? states that "Sex doesn't have to be all candles and foreplay. Sometimes it can make it more playful within the time frame". She adds that things such as hand-holding, cuddling and just touching each other can help build the kind of intimacy that naturally translates to the bedroom. It's also important to talk to your partner if you feel that your libido has been lower than usual, as it could be down to something as innocuous as increased working hours and stress. But in any case, maintaining open lines of communication is paramount to solving the issue at hand. And if everything else fails, Durvasula advises trying couples therapy, "Find out if the mismatched sexual interest is time and stress or something more sinister," she said.