Reclaiming our Intuition: a Highly Sensitive and Queer perspective
As highly sensitive LGBTQ+ individuals, our intuition is a powerful tool that helps us navigate the world. However, many of us have been conditioned to doubt, dismiss, or silence our inner wisdom, leading to a form of self-gaslighting that can deeply impact our well-being. Understanding and reclaiming our intuition is essential to embracing our authentic selves.
How we gaslight our own intuition
Throughout our lives, we may have unconsciously invalidated our own experiences. We dismiss our gut feelings as "being too sensitive," ignore physical warning signals from our body, rationalise away our emotional responses, and force ourselves to endure overwhelming situations.
For LGBTQ+ individuals, this experience often intersects with identity-related challenges, making it even harder to trust our inner voice.
The unique challenges of being queer and highly sensitive
Many of us grew up questioning or hiding our identities, which can cause us to doubt our intuitive understanding of ourselves and our experiences. If we were told that our feelings were "wrong" or "too much," we may have internalised the belief that our intuition is unreliable.
Doubting our authentic gender expression or sexuality, dismissing our need for safe and affirming spaces, and ignoring our body’s responses to gender dysphoria are just a few ways this manifests. Societal influences also reinforce these patterns through cultural messaging that devalues sensitivity, heteronormative and cisnormative expectations, and pressure to conform to neurotypical standards. These factors make us feel like we must ignore or override our inner knowing to fit in, but the truth is—our intuition is a powerful guide that deserves our trust.
Reclaiming and strengthening our intuition
The good news is that we can unlearn self-gaslighting and begin to trust ourselves again. Acknowledging the validity of our sensory experiences, honouring our emotional responses without judgment, and recognising our sensitivity as a strength are key steps. By validating our identity-related insights, we reinforce the truth that we know ourselves best.
If you want to deepen your trust in your inner voice, consider practices like starting a body awareness practice, journaling your intuitive insights, creating space for self-reflection, and finding community spaces that validate both your sensitivity and LGBTQ+ identity.
Your intuition is not just valid—it’s a vital tool for navigating life as both a highly sensitive person and a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Moving forward with confidence
Healing from intuitive gaslighting takes time, but by practicing self-compassion and intentionality, we can reclaim our inner wisdom. Being kind to ourselves when we realise we've ignored our intuition in the past, setting firm boundaries that honour our sensitivity, and trusting our authentic expression of identity help us step into our full power.
By trusting ourselves, we create a life that is not only aligned with who we are but also deeply fulfilling.
🌈 If you’re interested in joining a community for Highly Sensitive Queer people like you, check out the Community page and join the waitlist to get updates of what’s coming!
