November 29, 2022 — The Trevor Project — the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people — praised the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in the U.S. Senate, which codifies federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. The legislation will now head back to the House where it is expected to be passed and sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
Kasey Suffredini (he/him), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project, released the following statement:
“By enshrining the freedom to marry into federal law, this legislation sends a powerful message to LGBTQ families and young people across the nation that you can love who you love with equal protection under the law. We are incredibly thankful to see the bipartisan collaboration that made the Respect for Marriage Act a reality. Bipartisan supermajorities of the general public — nationwide and in every state — support marriage equality. It’s time to see our country’s laws take another step toward reflecting our nation’s values.”
“Today demonstrates that the freedom to marry, like all LGBTQ issues, is about people, not politics. And when we work together to implement policies that support LGBTQ communities, we are collectively building a more affirming and accepting society for our LGBTQ friends, family members, and neighbors — and ultimately, all of us.”
According to The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. However, LGBTQ youth who lived in an accepting community, had access to LGBTQ-affirming spaces, and/or felt high social support from family and friends reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide in the past year.
###
