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How The Trevor Project is Advocating for LGBTQ+ Young People During the 2024 Legislative Season

An interview with Janson Wu (he/him), Sr. Director, State Advocacy & Government Written by Ryan Bernsten (he/him), Senior Managing Editor RYAN: Let’s start really high-level. Why is the 2024 legislative season so important? JANSON: We've already seen close to 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced already in 2024. Last year we saw a record-breaking 600+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced, and 82 of those passed into law. This year, we're seeing our opponents double down on the breadth and cruelty of their attacks. Where we saw gender-affirming care bans targeting youth last year, we're now seeing restrictions for adult care. Where we once saw…
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New Report Reveals Alarming Prevalence of Conversion Therapy, With Over 1,300 Active Practitioners Across the U.S.

Nearly half of the identified practitioners (46%) hold active professional licenses as mental health providers December 12, 2023 — The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people, released a new report today which sheds light on the alarming and extensive presence of practitioners of so-called conversion “therapy” across the U.S. Conversion “therapy” refers to a range of dangerous, discredited, and unscientific practices that attempt to change one’s LGBTQ+ identity. The report, It’s Still Happening, is the culmination of rigorous and systematic research that began in 2018 by researchers at The Trevor Project, who…
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Nova Bright-Williams On Trans Day of Remembrance

Today marks my tenth Trans Day of Remembrance with The Trevor Project, but within our broader movement, this important day dates back to 1999. It was started by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans activist, as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a trans woman who had been killed in 1998. Today, it has grown into a global observance that serves as a stark reminder of the continuous struggle for trans rights and acceptance. As a trans woman who has found so much joy, acceptance, and peace this year, it feels especially important for me to take time today…
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A Conversation With Daniel Quasar on Pride Flags, LGBTQ+ History, and Mental Health

Written by Sue Cardenas-Soto (they/them), Copywriter Daniel Quasar (they/ze) calls themselves an “accidental designer,” but they’re definitely one who has made an impact on LGBTQ+ history. Quasar designed the Progress Pride flag in 2018, an updated design that incorporated Monica Helm’s Trans Pride flag, the traditional Gilbert Baker Pride flag, and elements of Philadelphia and Seattle’s Pride flags. The trans flag stripes and black and brown stripes were shifted to the hoist and given a chevron shape, pointing to the right to symbolize forward movement. SUE: Can you tell me about the process of designing the flag? QUASAR: I was…
Illustrations of the following Trans Trailblazers: Jackie Shane, Lou Sullivan, Sylvia Rivera, Raquel Willis.
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More Trans Trailblazers You Should Know About

Trans Awareness Week is a special time for our community, a time when we share stories of trans individuals who paved the path for others; remember the history of trans resistance; celebrate trans joy, victories, and advancements; and finally, honor trans people who were lost to phobic violence. For Women’s History Month, we shared the stories of four trailblazing trans women who deserve some shine — for Trans Awareness Week, we’re introducing four more trans people who undeniably made an impact on LGBTQ history amid transphobia, violence, and oppression. Jackie Shane Jackie Shane, from Nashville, Tennessee, was a pioneer of…
Sharice Davids
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Celebrating Native American Heritage Month with Rep. Sharice Davids

Written by Ryan Bernsten (he/him), Senior Managing Editor Rep. Sharice Davids (she/her) is currently serving Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District in Congress. Sharice was raised by a single mom who spent more than 20 years serving in the US Army. She worked her way from Johnson County Community College to Cornell Law School, juggling multiple jobs to put herself through school. Sharice went on to work in economic and community development on Native American reservations, helping tribes to create programs and initiatives for growth. This work inspired her to apply for the prestigious White House Fellows program, where she served under…
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How You Can Be The One

Here at Trevor, we’ve been talking a lot about what it means to be the one for LGBTQ young people, especially as the year wraps up and we look to the (potentially tough) holiday season.You may have heard this before, but it bears repeating: for an LGBTQ young person, having at least one accepting adult in their life can lower odds of suicide risk by 40%.  This is more than just a statistic for us — it’s a reality we’ve seen in the individual lives of the LGBTQ young people we serve time and time again for 25 years. And…
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Making LGBTQ+ History Happen

This LGBTQ+ History Month, we’re remembering past trailblazers like Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Harvey Milk, and more, but we’re also looking forward to making more history. In a time of increased hostility toward LGBTQ+ people, and with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation still on the rise, the need for liberation is now. And when it comes to LGBTQ+ young people, their mental health is paying the price: 71% of LGBTQ+ youth — including 86% of trans and nonbinary youth — say state laws restricting the rights of LGBTQ+ young people have negatively impacted their mental health. They deserve to see a…
People marching at a Pride Parade
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Celebrating the Power of Us with Zebra Youth

Executive Director of Zebra Youth Heather Wilkie has lived in Orlando, Florida for 17 years and calls it sort of a “beacon city in the state of Florida… central Florida and Orlando is kind of like a blue dot in the middle of the state. Honestly, central Florida is pretty welcoming. But go outside of the tri-county area, or even in some of the rural areas outside of Orlando, it’s not as supportive — and the youth know that.” For Heather, who works to make sure LGBTQ young people in central Florida feel supported, community means everything. Zebra Youth, an…
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Good Reasons to Feel Proud around Pride

Pride Pride is a celebration of community, resilience, and LGBTQ+ history and culture. It is a time for action, joy, liberation, and change. At Trevor, we’re celebrating the power of us — the strength we have as a community and the difference we can make together for LGBTQ+ young people. This year’s Pride celebration is underway at the same time that a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ policies are being introduced and implemented across the country. Vitriolic and hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people (and trans people, specifically) is amplified every day, and young people are watching. Pride can be a party,…