By that logic, pediatricians and gynecologists shouldn't exist.

> A national hotline that can handle anyone is clearly the right way.

Absolutely. That describes this setup. You call the number. You get help. Sometimes that means a person trained in, say, talking to rape victims. (If you go to the ER, they'll have a nurse trained in it too!)

Per the article: "Also known as the 'Press 3 option,' the program gave 988 callers the option to 'press 3' to connect with a counselor trained to assist lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youths and young adults (they could also text 988 with the word 'PRIDE'). Nearly 1.5 million contacts were routed to the LGBTQ service since its launch, according to data available on the SAMHSA website."

Same hotline, just a phone tree option in it.

▲

pfannkuchen 11 hours ago | parent [-]

> pediatricians and gynecologists

Those are physical differences. Which isn’t to say that you’re wrong, but we could easily have different things for physical differences and not for mental differences. Should we have different prisons for gays? Same logic, no?

▲

acdha 11 hours ago | parent | next [-]

The leading theories for the biological underpinnings of same-sex attraction are also physical—some combination of genes, prenatal environment, and biochemistry—so this argument fails both ways.

It’s moot in any case because the whole point is identifying groups of people who benefit from help tailored at their situation so it’d make sense to specialize even if it was a choice. If we saw tons football fans more likely to contemplate suicide after the Super Bowl we’d want to support them even though that’s unambiguously social. Helping people is what makes civilization worth having.

▲

nkrisc 10 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You're right, maybe we should have the same counselors handling calls from 13 year olds girls and veterans, after all, what's the difference?

▲

ceejayoz 11 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Those are physical differences.

Good; we agree differences in a patient/customer may require special training/handling.

> Should we have different prisons for gays?

Again, this wasn't a different hotline. Just a phone tree option.

I suspect prisons, at times, have to manage things specific to gay inmates. Seems like it could cause roommate situations to be accounted for, as an example.

▲

chasd00 10 hours ago | parent [-]

> I suspect prisons, at times, have to manage things specific to gay inmates.

doubtful. There's no customer service in prison nor the ability to speak with the manager.

▲

ceejayoz 10 hours ago | parent [-]

Of course there is.

https://doccs.ny.gov/file-complaint

> Incarcerated Individuals can contact OSI directly by dialing 444 from any incarcerated individual phone Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/inmate-g...

> Every jail must develop a clear and responsive prisoner grievance procedure, including a formal means of delivering complaints and concerns from a prisoner to the administration and the procedures by which the prisoner receives a written response. However, the prisoner should not be able to use the procedures to avoid institutional rules and regulations.

▲

chasd00 10 hours ago | parent [-]

I've never been to prison but i have spent a night in the pokey a couple times. Those may be legit websites but it's not my experience.

▲

ceejayoz 10 hours ago | parent [-]

> I've never been to prison

> it's not my experience

Good talk.

	▲	Schiendelman 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I see you all over HN and I appreciate how well you engage!

▲

Calazon 10 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Psychologists and therapists have different specialties too, for mental differences. This is generally considered a good thing.

▲

jasonmp85 10 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

[dead]