Youth's Lives Every Day
Research shows that access to transition-related care is associated with significantly lower rates of depression and suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary young people
December 18, 2025 – The United States federal government is considering multiple efforts to restrict access to best-practice health care for transgender and nonbinary young people nationwide, including through legislative action in Congress, and proposed rules from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Trevor Project’s Senior Vice President of Public Engagement Campaigns, Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen (he/him), released the following statement in response:
“Everyone in this country should have access to the care they need to stay healthy, including transgender and nonbinary young people. Personal medical decisions ought to be made between patients, their doctors, and their families – not through a one-size-fits-all mandate from the federal government. The multitude of efforts we are seeing from federal legislators to strip transgender and nonbinary youth of the health care they need is deeply troubling.
“If implemented, these efforts will have detrimental impacts on transgender and nonbinary youth in particular. The Trevor Project’s research shows that access to this care is associated with significantly lower rates of depression and suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary young people who receive it. It’s no hyperbole to say that restricting this medically necessary care risks the lives of transgender and nonbinary youth in communities all across the U.S.
“If you’ve never met a transgender person, or aren’t familiar with the type of health care that some of us receive, it’s understandable to have questions. It’s reassuring to know that this type of care is nothing new; it has been provided for decades, based on scientific research and supported by all of our country’s leading medical and mental health associations. Right now, we need our government officials to increase access to essential health care for marginalized youth, not restrict it further.”
Relevant research & resources:
- A 2022 peer-reviewed study published in The Journal of Adolescent Health by researchers at The Trevor Project found gender-affirming hormone therapy was significantly related to lower rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary young people.
- The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People found that 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. The survey also found:
- 90% of LGBTQ+ youth said recent politics negatively impacted their well-being, and nearly half of transgender and nonbinary youth reported their families have considered moving to a different state because of LGBTQ+ politics and laws.
- Among transgender and nonbinary young people, 13% reported being on gender-affirming hormones, and 2% reported taking puberty blockers.
- 61% of those who were on gender-affirming hormones were somewhat or very concerned about losing access to this care.
- The Trevor Project’s Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People is an introductory educational resource that covers a wide range of topics and best practices on how to support transgender and nonbinary people.
- The Trevor Project’s short film, Learn with Love: Haylin & Mat, shares the real story of one mother’s journey toward understanding and supporting her transgender son – including navigating transgender health care.
If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org, or by texting START to 678678.
