Listen to the Silence

With the biggest LGBT show in Europe landing on our doorstep during Mental Health Awareness Month and on International ME/CFS Awareness Day it seems like an opportunity I couldn’t miss to raise some money and awareness for a few causes close to my heart: MIND, Switchboard and The Brain Charity.

I have personal experience of judgement and disbelief from both ME and depression diagnoses, and close connections to people who have suffered with different Mental Health issues all my life. Mental health issues can be triggered for a variety of reasons and often combine to create chaos in peoples lives. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a long term health condition, sexuality or identity, bereavement, domestic violence, addiction issues or any other myriad of things, in 2023 nobody should be left feeling alone and unable to voice their feelings yet so many continue to suffer in silence for fear of the repercussions.

Around 8% of the population suffer from mixed anxiety & depression making them Britain’s most common mental disorders. The risk of poor mental health increases dramatically within LGBT people with around 50% experiencing depression and 3 in 5 dealing with anxiety. The stigma still surrounding how people identify is ridiculous and the bullying and isolation I have witnessed happen to loved ones is scary making the need to support them ever greater.

But what can I do? I have a voice, a pretty loud one at that, but everyone is used to me being noisy, people always notice far more when I’m quiet, so that’s the plan...

For the entirety of Effy’s Big Gay Brunch hosted by TNT Extreme Wrestling I will be absolutely silent. Anyone who knows me knows I have always been known for being loud and never shutting up, those who know me from wrestling shows are probably more aware than most! While it will be amusing for some of you to watch me struggle, I hope everyone takes a minute to think regardless of how hard my task is, just how much harder feeling silenced every single day is for a large portion of the population.

There may be multiple reasons your friend has gone quiet and may be avoiding hanging out, often it won’t be because they don’t want to. It costs nothing to be nice, even to those whose situations you may not understand! Reach out to the quiet ones, listen to your loved ones, and if possible please donate what you can to help these charities continue to support people.

(I cannot split the funds directly on here but will post screenshots of the equal donations to all three charities after May 12th)