The updated rule further codifies protections for students against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
June 23, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, applauded Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s new proposed rule for Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in public schools, confirming that these protections extend to sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as sex stereotypes and characteristics.
“School should be a place where students learn and are comfortable being themselves, not a source of bullying and discrimination. The Trevor Project is thankful to the Department of Education for working to protect LGBTQ students, especially transgender and nonbinary students, who have been facing a relentless wave of attacks,” said Amit Paley (he/him pronouns), CEO and Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “Our research shows that having access to affirming schools and positive connections with peers and teachers are critical for suicide prevention among LGBTQ young people. This rule is an important step forward, but we also need the Senate to pass the Equality Act to enshrine federal nondiscrimination protections into law and for school districts across the country to invest in mental health resources and implement LGBTQ-inclusive policies.”
Relevant research from The Trevor Project:
- According to data from The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 73% of LGBTQ youth reported that they have experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime. Those who experienced discrimination in the past year attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not.
- A peer-reviewed study by researchers at The Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth who reported experiencing discrimination based on their gender identity had more than double the odds of attempting suicide in the past year compared to transgender and nonbinary youth who did not experience gender identity-based discrimination.
- However, The Trevor Project’s research has consistently found that LGBTQ students who have access to LGBTQ-affirming schools — and trans students who have support from their teachers and peers — report lower rates of attempting suicide.
- Polling shows that 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth, and two-thirds of all LGBTQ youth, said that recent debates around anti-trans bills have negatively impacted their mental health.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.
