The Trevor Project recently published a new 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health. The findings were quite astounding, stating nearly half of respondents debated on taking their own lives in the last year, and more than half of those respondents either self-identified as transgender or nonbinary.
The survey collected data on the experiences of 35,000 LGBTQ+ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 who reside in the U.S. Reports found 45 percent of respondents were LGBTQ youth of color, and 38 percent of respondents self -identify as transgender or nonbinary. Out of that 38 percent, 29 percent of the respondents who claim everyone they live with respects their pronouns/gender identity reportedly tried to end their lives at half the rate of those that did not respect their pronouns/gender identity.
“Affirming a young person in their gender identity is strongly associated with lower suicide risk.” says Amit Paley, Trevor Projects CEO and executive director.
An unfortunate 42 percent of LGBTQ individuals disclosed they experienced serious suicidal ideations and considered taking their own lives. Over half of those respondents were either transgender or nonbinary. Our Black, Indigenous, and Latinx, LGBTQ youth members reportedly have a higher rate of suicide attempts than white, Asian, and Pacific Islander LGBTQ youth members.
Results also found respondents who weren’t allowed to change their names on legal documents such as birth certificates and identification cards were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide than those who can do so. A shocking 7 percent of transgender and nonbinary respondents reportedly were able to successfully change their legal documents vs. the 57 percent reporting they could not legally change their documentation.
Dr. Amy Green, vice president of research at the Trevor Project, says in a statement, “Once again, we find that LGBTQ-affirming spaces and transgender-inclusive policies and practices are consistently associated with lower rates of attempting suicide.”
Yet, all over the United States, conservative lawmakers are continuing to make the lives of our trans youth harder to be their true self. This has been a record breaking year for anti-trans legislation with more than 100 targeting transgender youths right to medical care or access to sports according to the Human Rights Campaign. Some of these disgustingly targeted bills have already passed and become law. For example Arkansas’ House Bill 1570 made it the first state to limit gender-affirming resources and care among trans youth.
Paley urges our nation’s legislators across the country to rethink their anti-trans ways.
“To all the lawmakers considering anti-transgender bills across the country—we urge you to take a hard look at this evidence and take time out of your day to actually meet with the transgender and non-binary youth who would be harmed by your misguided proposals.”
