More than 50% of transgender and non-binary youth in US states seriously considered suicide in the past year, according to new survey data on the worsening mental health crisis for LGBTQ+ youth.
The Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth, on Thursday released statewide data from nearly 34,000 queer and trans youth ages 13 to 24, including rates of suicide attempts, depression among liberals and conservatives. and showed alarmingly high rates of anxiety. regions.
States where lawmakers have aggressively pursued anti-trans legislation, including Texas and Arkansas, have exceptionally high levels of suicide risk, although rates are nearly as high in some progressive states, including New York, California, and Oregon included.
The data release comes amid growing government restrictions on the rights of queer and trans people in conservative states, as well as vigilante violence against LGBTQ+ events and venues across the United States.
The Washington Post reported that more than 150 bills to restrict the lives of trans people have been introduced in state legislatures in 2022, the most in the country’s history.
Many of these bills targeted trans youth, including restricting their access to gender-affirming healthcare, participation in sports, and the ability to use bathrooms that match their gender identity.
In California, the most populous state that recently passed a law protecting trans youth, 44% of LGBTQ+ youth have considered suicide and 14% attempted suicide, the survey found ; For trans and non-binary respondents, the results were worse, with 54% contemplating and 19% attempting suicide. And 70% of LGBTQ+ youth in the state said they experienced discrimination, and 62% said they were unable to access mental health care.
Rates of trans and non-binary youth seriously considering suicide were similar in the next largest states, with 56% in Texas; 54% in Florida; 50% in New York; 54% in Pennsylvania; 51% in Illinois; 54% in Ohio; 55% in Georgia; 53% in North Carolina; and 52% in Michigan. And 16-20% of trans and non-binary youth reported attempting suicide in these states. The majority also said they wanted to do so, but no attention was paid.
