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The Impact of LGBTQ+ Identity Importance on Discrimination and Suicide Attempts Among LGBTQ+ Young People

LGBTQ+ young people who said that their sexual orientation or gender identity was very important to them were less likely to report a suicide attempt in the past year than those who said these identities were not important to them.
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Key Findings

  • Most TGNB young people (64%) said gender identity was very important to their identity.
  • LGBTQ+ young people who said their sexual orientation was very important to their identity were less likely to report a past-year suicide attempt than those who said it was not at all important (11% vs. 14%). Similarly, TGNB young people who said their gender identity was very important to their identity were less likely to report a past-year suicide attempt than those who said it was not at all important (14% vs. 20%).
  • Though greater identity importance was associated with higher rates of past-year discrimination, when LGBTQ+ young people did experience discrimination, greater identity importance buffered the association between experiencing discrimination and being more likely to report a past-year suicide attempt.

Background

A robust body of research has linked both sexual orientation and gender identity to a variety of health outcomes in young people, notably higher risk of suicide.1,2 However, LGBTQ+ young people are not at heightened risk because of who they are, but because of how society treats them based on their identity. Accordingly, it is important to explore what intervening factors may help explain the increased risk of suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ young people, as well as the characteristics that may be protective.

Although LGBTQ+ young people share commonalities in terms of their sexual orientation and gender identities, less is known about the extent to which they view these identities as central or important to who they are. Several studies have shown varying and complex relationships between racial identity among Black Americans and outcomes ranging from mental health to health care service utilization.3,4 Notably, racial identity is often mentioned in the context of racial discrimination, where aspects of racial identity are shown to mitigate some of discrimination’s harmful effects.5,6 There is a growing body of research that attempts to extend this inquiry into the role of LGBTQ+ identities. Recent findings have documented that greater LGBTQ+ identity pride is associated with higher levels of depression,7 but that identity affirmation moderates the association between discrimination and depression.8 However, the importance LGBTQ+ young people place on their sexual orientation and gender identity and its relationship to discrimination and suicide attempts is less known.

Using data from The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, this research brief explores the role of LGBTQ+ identity importance, including its relationship to experiences of discrimination and likelihood of a past-year suicide attempt.

Results

Importance of sexual orientation and gender identity to LGBTQ+ young people
On average, LGBTQ+ young people rated the importance of their sexual orientation and gender identity as high. Most young people said their sexual orientation was either somewhat important (36%) or very important (43%) to their identity. A greater proportion of TGNB young people reported that their gender identity was important, with most saying it was either somewhat important (24%) or very important (64%).

The importance of sexual orientation to the identity of LGBTQ+ young people varied across groups. Those ages 18-24 were more likely to say that their sexual orientation was very important to who they are than those 13-17 (47% vs. 39%). There were differences by race/ethnicity, with Black/African American LGBTQ+ young people being the most likely to say their sexual orientation was very important to their identity (52%), with Asian American/Pacific Islander and White LGBTQ+ young people being the least likely to (42%). There were also differences by gender identity, with cisgender girls/women (49%) and nonbinary young people (48%) being the most likely to report sexual orientation was very important to their identity, and transgender girls/women (34%) and transgender boys/men (32%) being the least likely. The importance of sexual orientation identity also varied by sexual orientation itself, with lesbian participants being the most likely to say it was very important to their identity (63%), and those who were questioning their sexual orientation (25%) or heterosexual (18%) being the least likely.

The importance of gender identity to TGNB young people also varied across groups. Those 18-24 were more likely to say that their gender identity was very important to who they are than those 13-17 (66% vs. 62%). There were also differences by sexual orientation, with queer TGNB participants being the most likely to report gender identity was very important to their identity (68%), and those who were not sure about their sexual orientation being the least likely (60%). Importance of gender identity also varied by gender, with transgender girls/women being the most likely to say it was very important to their identity (82%), followed by transgender boys/men (76%), nonbinary (61%), and gender questioning (30%) young people.

Experiences of discrimination and importance of LGBTQ+ identities
Nearly half (46%) of all LGBTQ+ young people reported that they had been discriminated against in the past year because of their sexual orientation, and the majority (62%) of TGNB young people reported that they had been discriminated against in the past year because of their gender identity. The importance of sexual orientation and gender identity was positively associated with the likelihood of reporting a recent experience of discrimination. LGBTQ+ young people who said their sexual orientation was very important to who they are were nearly twice as likely to have been discriminated against because of their sexual orientation compared to those who said their sexual orientation was not at all important to who they are (55% vs. 28%). Similarly, TGNB young people who said their gender identity was very important to who they are were nearly twice as likely to have been discriminated against because of their gender identity compared to those who said their gender identity was not at all important to who they are (70% vs. 38%).

Rates of past-year discrimination due to sexual orientation and gender identity, by identity importance chart

Importance of LGBTQ+ identities and suicide attempts
Despite being associated with an increased likelihood of discriminatory experiences, greater identity importance was still protective against suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ young people. Higher sexual orientation importance was associated with a lower likelihood of a past-year suicide attempt; those who said their sexual orientation was not at all important to their identity were more likely to report a past-year suicide attempt than those who said their sexual orientation was very important to their identity (14% vs. 11%). Similarly, greater importance of gender identity among TGNB young people was associated with a lower likelihood of a past-year suicide attempt; those who said their gender identity was not at all important to their identity were more likely to report a past-year suicide attempt than those who said gender identity was very important to their identity (20% vs. 14%).

Those who did not experience discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation had lower rates of suicide attempts than those who did experience discrimination (8% vs. 16%). However, among those who experienced sexual orientation discrimination, the importance of sexual orientation was associated with a lower likelihood of suicide attempts. Those whose sexual orientation was very important to them had the lowest rates of suicide attempts (15%) compared to peers who indicated lower levels of  sexual orientation importance. Similarly, TGNB young people who did not experience discrimination on the basis of gender identity had lower rates of suicide attempts compared to those who did experience discrimination (9% vs. 18%). Among those who experienced gender identity discrimination, the importance of gender identity was also strongly associated with a lower likelihood of suicide attempts. Those who said their gender identity was not at all important to who they are had the highest rates of past-year suicide attempts compared to those whose gender identity was very important to who they are (27% vs. 17%).

Past-year suicide attempts among those experiencing discrimination, by LGBTQ+ identity importance chart

Looking Ahead

Our findings are a reminder that LGBTQ+ young people are not a homogenous group, and that they view their sexual orientations and gender identities with different degrees of importance. Furthermore, the role of these identities is not always straightforward. Greater importance of these identities was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing discrimination in the past year, a factor which is strongly associated with poorer mental health and increased likelihood of suicide attempts.2 At the same time, greater importance of sexual orientation and gender identity was also associated with a lower likelihood of a suicide attempt in the past year, but for LGBTQ+ young people who did experience discrimination, it buffered the harmful effect of that discrimination.

Overall, LGBTQ+ young people endorsed fairly high levels of LGBTQ+ identity importance, especially TGNB young people, with nearly two-thirds (64%) saying their gender identity was very important to who they are. We also identified several demographic differences in identity importance among LGBTQ+ young people. Notably, older LGBTQ+ young people were more likely to report their sexual orientation and gender identity were important to their identity, although it is unclear if this is related to developmental stage or the effect of being in a specific generational cohort.9,10

It may not be surprising that those who place more importance on their LGBTQ+ identities were more likely to report experiences of discrimination, particularly given that we see a similar relationship among people of color and racial discrimination.6 Although race/ethnicity and LGBTQ+ identities are not directly comparable, they do share one relevant feature: associated health inequities are not inherent to these identities, but result from the way society treats these groups. Using the language of the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping,11 identity importance may function as both a primary and secondary appraisal mechanism; that is, it may shape how people evaluate threats and how they assess their coping resources. This is consistent with our findings in which greater identity importance was associated with increased experiences of discrimination, as well as increased ability to cope with its effects.

We emphasize that our findings are correlations and do not necessarily imply causation. All LGBTQ+ young people lead complex and intersectional lives, and there is nothing inherently good or bad about the importance people place on different aspects of their identity. The takeaway from our findings is not to modify how LGBTQ+ young people think about their identity, but to reduce their exposure to intervening factors like discrimination that adversely affect their mental health and increase risk of suicide attempts in the first place. Understanding how LGBTQ+ young people assign importance to their LGBTQ+ identities may also help tailor interventions focused on coping resources.

The Trevor Project’s free, 24/7 crisis services are committed to making sure that all LGBTQ+ young people receive high-quality crisis care that addresses the unique challenges they face. We train our crisis counselors to provide culturally competent and non-judgmental support, consistently respecting each caller’s experience and background. Our TrevorSpace platform is a safe and supportive online space for LGBTQ+ young people ages 13 to 24. Here, youth can connect with peers, find support in a moderated community, and share experiences related to mental health in a safe environment. Finally, our Research team is committed to the ongoing dissemination of research related to LGBTQ+ young people. For other related research about the roles of discrimination and pride in LGBTQ+ identity in the lives of LGBTQ+ young people, see Discrimination among Black LGBTQ+ Young People and Suicide Risk and Pride Among LGBTQ Youth.

Data Tables

Importance of Sexual Orientation to LGBTQ+ Young People’s Identity, by Participant Characteristics

Importance of Sexual Orientation to LGBTQ+ Young People’s Identity, by Participant Characteristics table


Importance of Gender Identity to TGNB Young People’s Identity, by Participant Characteristics

Importance of Gender Identity to TGNB Young People’s Identity, by Participant Characteristics table

Methods

Sample
Data were collected through The Trevor Project’s 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. In total, 18,663 LGBTQ+ young people between the ages of 13 and 24 were recruited via ads on social media.

Measures
Demographics (i.e., age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity) were collected by asking participants to select a single category from a provided list.2 Identity importance was measured by asking participants to “Please indicate below how important the following identities are to who you are.” “Sexual orientation” and “gender identity” were used, with response options of: “Not at all important to who I am”, “A little important to who I am”, “Somewhat important to who I am”, and “Very important to who I am”. Experiences of discrimination in the past year on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity were assessed with the Yes/No questions, “In the past 12 months, have you felt discriminated against because of your sexual orientation?” and “In the past 12 months, have you felt discriminated against because of your gender identity?” Past-year suicide attempt was assessed with an item from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey.12

Analysis
Chi-square tests were run to examine differences between groups. Analyses of the importance of gender identity and experiences of discrimination due to gender identity were limited to TGNB participants. Unless otherwise noted, all analyses are statistically significant at p<0.05, meaning documented differences would be expected less than 5% of the time if there were no true difference in the population (i.e., under the null hypothesis).

References

  2. 1. Hatchel, T., Polanin, J. R., & Espelage, D. L. (2021). Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among LGBTQ youth: Meta-analyses and a systematic review. Archives of Suicide Research, 25(1), 1-37. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245268
  3. 2. Nath, R., Matthews, D.D., DeChants, J.P., Hobaica, S., Clark, C.M., Taylor, A.B., Muñoz, G. (2024). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. West Hollywood, California: The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024

    3. Banks, K. H., & Kohn-Wood, L. P. (2007). The influence of racial identity profiles on the relationship between racial discrimination and depressive symptoms. Journal of Black Psychology, 33(3), 331-354. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798407302540

    4. Richman, L. S., Kohn-Wood, L. P., & Williams, D. R. (2007). The role of discrimination and racial identity for mental health service utilization. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26(8), 960-981. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2007.26.8.960

    5. Sellers, R. M., & Shelton, J. N. (2003). The role of racial identity in perceived racial discrimination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 1079-1092. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1079

    6. Yip, T., Wang, Y., Mootoo, C., & Mirpuri, S. (2019). Moderating the association between discrimination and adjustment: A meta-analysis of ethnic/racial identity. Developmental Psychology, 55(6), 1274-1298. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000708

    7. Chang, C. J., Feinstein, B. A., Meanley, S., Flores, D. D., & Watson, R. J. (2021). The role of LGBTQ identity pride in the associations among discrimination, social support, and depression in a sample of LGBTQ adolescents. Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health, 2(3), 203-219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/LGBTQ-2021-0020

    8. Busby, D. R., Horwitz, A. G., Zheng, K., Eisenberg, D., Harper, G. W., Albucher, R. C.,Roberts, L. W., Favorite, T., Coryell, W., Pistorello, J., & King, C. A. (2020). Suicide risk among gender and sexual minority college students: The roles of victimization, discrimination, connectedness, and identity affirmation. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 121, 182-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.11.013
  4. 9. Hinton, J. D., De la Piedad Garcia, X., Kaufmann, L. M., Koc, Y., & Anderson, J. R. (2022). A systematic and meta-analytic review of identity centrality among LGBTQ groups: An assessment of psychosocial correlates. The Journal of Sex Research, 59(5), 568-586. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1967849

    10. Scroggs, B., & Vennum, A. (2021). Gender and sexual minority group identification as a process of identity development during emerging adulthood. Journal of LGBT Youth, 18(3), 287-304. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2020.1722780

    11. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

    12. Mpofu, J. J., Underwood, J. M., Thornton, J. E., Brener, N. D., Rico, A., Kilmer, G., Harris, W. A., Leon-Nguyen, M., Chyen, D., Lim, C., Mbaka, C. K., Smith-Grant, J., Whittle, L., Jones, S. E., Krause, K. H., Li, J., Shanklin, S. L., McKinnon, I., Arrey, L., Queen, B. E., & Roberts, A. M. (2023). Overview and methods for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System—United States, 2021. MMWR Supplements, 72(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7201a1

The Trevor Project. (2026). The Impact of LGBTQ+ Identity Importance on Discrimination and Suicide Attempts Among LGBTQ+ Young People. https://doi.org/10.70226/UJUR4433

For more information please contact: [email protected]

© The Trevor Project 2026

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