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My Second Coming Out

As a kid, I was really good at following the “rules.” Growing up in a more conservative suburb outside of St. Louis, Missouri, my goal was to fit in: that I’d find a good husband, get a decent job, have a couple of kids, travel when I could, live a good life. Like I was expected to, like I was supposed to. Being a lesbian never felt like an option. While I didn’t experience much blatant homophobia, it wasn’t talked about. I didn’t let myself think that I might be gay until college. I was so scared of breaking the…
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Styles of Pride: Express Yourself

Finding yourself is a multi-faceted journey, whether that means trying on a wig for the first time, seeing a queer-affirming movie, or picking out the pronoun pin that feels right. Adults who affirm that journey help LGBTQ+ young people feel free to be authentic without fear of rejection.  Watching young people use their style to explore themselves ultimately helps us realize that self-expression is just a way to show the world who we are on the inside.  Alongside our partners at Macy’s, who have supported The Trevor Project’s mission by raising over $6 million dollars to date, we invited five…
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Procter & Gamble Announces Fifth Annual “Can’t Cancel Pride” Virtual Event

As a long-time champion of LGBTQ+ equality, P&G developed Can’t Cancel Pride to celebrate the people and organizations demonstrating a continued commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equality. The annual event brings together prominent LGBTQ+ and ally artists to perform during an hour-long benefit streaming show, providing much needed visibility and funding for six LGBTQ+ organization, including The Trevor Project. The 5th annual Can’t Cancel Pride, produced by iHeartMedia and P&G, will stream on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages, Hulu, Revry, and The Advocate Channel on June 12 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT featuring performances by Elton John Impact…
Peggy Rajski
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The Trevor Project’s New National Survey Gives Us Crucial Insight Into the Challenges LGBTQ+ Young People Face

Written by: Peggy Rajski (she/her), Founder & Interim CEO at The Trevor Project When The Trevor Project started back in 1998, research and resources dedicated to examining the day-to-day experiences of LGBTQ+ young people were very limited. Today, while we still have miles to go, I’m proud we can point to how much The Trevor Project has contributed toward closing that gap. Our top-tier research program, composed of leading scientists and experts in the field of LGBTQ+ youth mental health, is dedicated to better understanding both the risk factors and the protective factors impacting this country’s public health crisis of…
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Against the Erasure of Black Queer History

American history of resistance is a history of Black LGBTQ+ people. Advancements in civil rights and greater visibility of the LGBTQ+ community overall can be attributed to the efforts of Black LGBTQ+ folks; so much of what is popular and beloved in music, fashion, culture, and even language is because of the innovations and traditions of the Black queer diaspora. All of this is born out of the need to survive oppressive and violent conditions, distinguish themselves from their white LGBTQ+ counterparts who often enjoyed greater privilege. When there are efforts to censor Black queer history in classrooms, to prevent…
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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…
Photo of LGBTQ+ young people featured in episode 2 of Sharing Space with Nova Bright from The Trevor Project.
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Learn from LGBTQ+ Young People with Episode 2 of “Sharing Space”

Following the first episode of our educational series “Sharing Space” moderated by longtime Trevor supporter Daniel Radcliffe, we’re proud to launch our second episode featuring one of Trevor’s own: Nova Bright-Williams, our Head of Internal Training, Learning, and Development, speaking to LGBTQ+ young people about how we can best show up for them. This second episode of “Sharing Space'' features transgender, intersex, queer, and nonbinary young people who join Bright to talk about their experiences with gender euphoria, stigma, and acceptance. These candid conversations have the power to teach allies and LGBTQ+ people alike about the power of affirmation.  “I…
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The Power of Affirmation: Stories from Trevor Staff

The Power of Affirmation: Stories from Trevor Staff Affirmation is life-giving. It is an incredibly powerful feeling to be understood, accepted, and celebrated for who you are, especially when understanding and affirmation are hard to come by. So many LGBTQ+ young people struggle to find that affirmation, whether at school, in their own homes, or with themselves. And holidays approaching reminds many LGBTQ+ young people of places they cannot be themselves. We deeply wish for every LGBTQ+ young person to have at least one person they can rely on for support (which is why we’re here 24/7) because we know…
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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…