You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

Skip to main
Press

The Trevor Project Condemns Slate of Anti-LGBTQ Bills Pushed by Iowa Legislature

BY: Trevor News
Tangerine Violet Gradient
Donate

52% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Iowa seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 22% attempted suicide.

March 8, 2023The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ young people, condemns the more than 20 anti-LGBTQ bills being pushed in the Iowa legislature. If passed and signed into law, these bills would ban doctors from providing best-practice, medically necessary care to transgender and nonbinary youth, prohibit trans students from using the bathroom that matches who they are, ban instruction in classrooms related to LGBTQ identity, and censure school books on LGBTQ-related topics.

“52% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Iowa seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 22% attempted suicide. This is a public health crisis that is entirely preventable. Transgender and nonbinary youth are not uniquely prone to suicide, but rather are placed at higher risk by the harassment and discrimination they face because of who they are.. Iowa lawmakers should be working to support these vulnerable youth people by increasing their access to affirming health care, safe schools, and support systems, not pushing a political agenda that will only put them more in harm’s way,” said Kasey Suffredini (he/him pronouns), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project. “The government should not be inserting itself between parents and doctors and making schools less safe for the most marginalized students. Research consistently shows that supporting trans young people produces better mental health outcomes, while discrimination and isolation contribute to suicide risk.”

The Trevor Project’s 2022 U.S. National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health by State found that 52% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Iowa seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 22% attempted suicide. At a national level, The Trevor Project’s data has found that 71% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their gender identity, and those who have reported significantly higher rates of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who have not.

However, research has also consistently found that transgender medical care, is associated with positive mental health outcomes including showing promise for reducing suicide risk. A 2021 peer-reviewed study by The Trevor Project, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy was associated with nearly 40% lower odds of recent depression and of a past-year suicide attempt among transgender and nonbinary young people under age 18. 

According to The Trevor Project’s new polling, 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. When asked about new policies that will ban doctors from providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender and nonbinary youth, 74% of transgender and nonbinary youth said it made them feel angry, 59% felt stressed, 56% felt sad, 48% felt hopeless, 47% felt scared, 46% felt helpless, and 45% felt nervous.


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. 

Read more from
Press

Tangerine Canary Gradient
Press

The Trevor Project Condemns IA House Committee for Passing Anti-Trans Sports Ban

85% of transgender and nonbinary youth say that recent debates around anti-trans bills have negatively impacted their mental health. February 14, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, condemned the Iowa House Education Committee for passing HF 2309, which would restrict transgender women and girls from playing on school sports teams that match their gender identity. “This bill is not about fairness in sports, nor has it even been. This is an effort to further isolate transgender youth in Iowa by lawmakers…
Tangerine Canary Gradient
Press

The Trevor Project Condemns Passage of Anti-Trans Medical Care Ban By Alabama House Committee

Gender-affirming medical care has consistently been linked to improved mental health outcomes and reduced risk for suicide among transgender and nonbinary youth. March 2, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, condemned the passage of two bills (HB266/ SB184) by the Alabama House Judiciary Committee that would criminalize doctors for providing best-practice, gender-affirming care to transgender and nonbinary youth — threatening them with a Class C felony and up to 10 years in prison. The bill would also require teachers and school…