2S/LGBTQIA+ communities are disproportionately impacted by suicide, but suicide prevention interventions for this population are lacking.

Pride talk is an innovative research project that aims to develop an online training to equip 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals to be more alert to their peers who are thinking of suicide and to be able to connect them with further help. This intervention builds on the long history of peer supports within 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities and will empower 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals to take an active role in suicide prevention and to make a difference in their community.

In the current context, 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities continue to face significant mental health challenges, despite progress towards inclusion and recognition of rights. Members of these communities often face systemic and social barriers that can disproportionately affect their emotional well-being. 2S/LGBTQIA+ people experience higher rates of stress, depression and are more likely to face suicidal thoughts compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. These realities highlight an urgent need for support strategies and interventions specifically tailored to address these mental health challenges.

This is the context for Pride Talk, a study aimed at developing and evaluating an online suicide prevention training course specifically designed by and for 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities. Inspired by the sentinel approaches recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), this training aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective support to 2S/LGBTQIA+ people facing suicidal thoughts, while referring them to appropriate services.

This initiative capitalizes on the well-established tradition of peer support within the 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities and reinforces their ongoing commitment to suicide prevention. By providing an adapted and accessible educational platform, Pride Talk aims to meet a crucial need for suicide prevention initiatives directly shaped by and for 2S/LGBTQIA+ people.