Supporting LGBTQIA+ Clients: The Role of Pride in Eating Disorder Recovery

Pride is more than a celebration – it’s a vital part of eating disorder prevention, treatment, and systemic change. 

Here’s why inclusive, affirming care matters every day of the year.

Did you know that eating disorders occur at higher rates among sexual and gender minorities? While I care about this issue all year long, June is a special month to shine a special light because it is Pride month!

Pride is about honoring, celebrating, creating visibility, and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community. And I want to say unequivocally that at Marci RD, we not only welcome but celebrate the wide range of human experiences, expressions, and identities. My clients and colleagues from the queer community have been and continue to be some of my greatest teachers. I am a better clinician and person because of the relationships I have with each of them. Thank you for being here, for being you. I am committed to creating a world that welcomes and celebrates you.

There are a number of reasons that Pride is something we in the ED space should care deeply about.

Pride as Part of Eating Disorder Prevention

Individuals who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community experience minority stress due to the pervasive pressure, messaging, and legislation that their identities and bodies are pathological. This creates profound pressure and shame, which for some leads to the development of an ED as a coping strategy. Pride celebrations counteract this by creating spaces where diverse bodies, identities, and expressions are not just accepted but honored, helping to foster body trust and reduce risk factors associated with eating disorders.

Pride as Part of Eating Disorders Treatment

In treatment settings, Pride reminds providers and clients alike of the healing power of visibility, affirmation, and community. LGBTQIA+ individuals frequently encounter healthcare systems that overlook or pathologize their identities, contributing to underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis, or inadequate care. When treatment environments visibly support Pride, it signals a commitment to inclusivity and cultural humility, which is essential for building safety and therapeutic alliance. Incorporating LGBTQIA+-affirming care helps disrupt internalized shame and can support clients in reconnecting with their bodies on their own terms – key components of lasting recovery.

Pride, Eating Disorders, and Systems Work

Finally, Pride helps shift the broader cultural narratives that contribute to eating disorders by challenging narrow definitions of beauty, gender, and worth. Public celebrations of queer joy and embodiment create powerful counter-stories to the dominant messages that suggest some bodies are more valuable than others. In doing so, Pride contributes to a more expansive and liberatory vision of health, one in which people of all genders, sizes, races, and identities are allowed to take up space, be seen, and care for themselves without fear. That shift is not just symbolic; it’s a necessary part of transforming the systems that sustain disordered eating in the first place.

Would you like to directly support the work of some amazing Queer colleagues?! 

Here are just a few that I’d like to share. Send me a message on Instagram to let me know what to add to my list!

• The kind, the wise, and the incredibly skillful Dr. Sand Chang has a BRAND NEW WORKBOOK that will be released July 1st!! “All Parts Welcome: The Queer and Trans Internal Family Systems Workbook.” I strongly recommend you spread the word and pre-order your copy today!!!
• Dr. Wesley R. Barnhart, PhD is directing the brand new EMBRACED Lab at Suffolk University (in my backyard, yay!!). EMBRACED stands for Elevating Minoritized Backgrounds in Research on Appearance Concerns and Eating Disorders. Dr. Barnhart is currently welcoming applications for one Clinical Psychology PhD student to join their lab. Please reach out directly: wbarnhart135@gmail.com
• Scout Silverstein, my mentor, friend, and colleague, is developing a virtual mental health treatment program for trans communities. You can learn more about their program, The Source, and contribute monetarily to their GoFundMe campaign, accessible via the Support Our Mission link on their website. All money from the GoFundMe Campaign will allow them to pitch and raise money from angel investors.

There is no more urgent time than now to celebrate, support, and uplift the lives and work of our LGTQIA+ friends, clients, colleagues, and family members.

Happy Pride.

One thing my career has taught me is how much I love helping others learn and grow. That’s why I began creating my online courses and nutrition counseling trainings in the first place.

Here is a list of free resources for clinicians that can be downloaded and you can also check out all my online training programs for clinicians and dietitians. The goal for all of these resources and courses is to help you work with your clients with more confidence and new skills. Professional development for you!

If you are a client looking for resources to help you, I’ve got you covered too. Here is a page with several free resources that can help you on your path, whatever that may be.