Youth's Lives Every Day
A first-of-its kind peer-reviewed study found state-level anti-transgender laws increased past year-suicide attempts among a sample of more than 61,000 transgender and nonbinary youth in the United States
September 26, 2024 – Researchers at The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, published a study in the peer-reviewed journal, Nature Human Behaviour, that found anti-transgender state-level laws has a significant and causal impact on suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary young people across the United States.
From 2018 to 2022, 48 anti-transgender laws were enacted in the U.S. across 19 different state governments. The study examined the causal relationship between these laws and suicide risk over this five-year time period, using national survey data collected from more than 61,000 transgender and nonbinary youth. Results concluded that, during this time period, anti-transgender laws significantly increased incidents of past-year suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth by as much as 72%.
“This groundbreaking study offers robust and indisputable evidence to support what we have already known: the recent wave of anti-transgender laws in the United States is quite literally risking the lives of young people across the country,” said Dr. Ronita Nath (she/her), Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project. “From a scientific perspective, studying the phenomenon of how these policies impact LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health is relatively new. In our analysis of data collected from more than 61,000 transgender and nonbinary youth across five years, this study critically confirms – for the first time – a causal relationship between anti-transgender laws and heightened suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary young people.”
The study’s findings demonstrated a significant increase in suicide attempts among all participants whose home state had enacted at least one anti-transgender law. The highest increase in suicide attempt rates – ranging from 7% to 72% — was reported among participants younger than age 18. Across the full sample of transgender and nonbinary young people ages 13-24, an increase in suicide attempt rates of 38% to 44% was observed.
“It is without question that anti-transgender policies, and the dangerous rhetoric surrounding them, take a measurable toll on the health and safety of transgender and nonbinary young people all across the country,” said Jaymes Black (she/they/he pronouns), Chief Executive Officer at The Trevor Project. “As we get closer to critical elections this November, these young people will continue to be reduced to political talking points. I urge every adult – no matter your political beliefs – to remember that transgender and nonbinary young people are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. It’s not necessary to fully understand their experience to acknowledge that they – like all young people – deserve dignity, respect, and the ability to lead healthy and full lives.”
The laws enacted, which are rooted in anti-transgender biases and misconceptions, encompass a range of issues, from limiting access to gender-affirming medical care or bathrooms to prohibiting transgender and nonbinary youth from participating on sports teams or in school activities that match their gender identity.
The researchers examined the impact of state-level anti-transgender laws on suicide rates among transgender and nonbinary young people using a difference-in-differences research design. This statistical method compares the changes in outcomes between a group that is exposed to a treatment (in this case, anti-transgender laws) and a group that does not experience this treatment. The design controls for differences across states, as well as national-level trends over time. The unique data collection in this study created the opportunity to directly compare changes in suicide rates among transgender and nonbinary young people before and after anti-transgender laws were enacted in states. This research complies with all relevant ethical regulations and was reviewed and approved by an independent Institutional Review Board, Solutions IRB. Learn more about the methodology of the study by visiting the link here.
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/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678.
