This guidance signifies further implementation of President Biden’s day one executive order to combat LGBTQ-based discrimination.
WASHINGTON, DC — The Trevor Project today applauded Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s announcement that the Department of Education would “double down” on affirming transgender and nonbinary students’ rights under Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in public schools.
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, research also shows that transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having at least one gender-affirming space had 25% reduced odds of attempting suicide in the past year — the strongest association being with gender-affirming schools.
“Transgender and nonbinary young people should feel safe going to school and know that they are protected from discrimination. The Trevor Project is grateful to the Department of Education for actively working to ensure that schools are safe and affirming spaces for transgender and nonbinary youth. We know that trans-affirming schools can be life-saving,” said Amit Paley (he/him pronouns), CEO and Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “Young people spend most of their time at school and it’s crucial that all students are protected from discrimination and afforded the same rights. This policy clarification is welcomed, but we must continue to push the Senate to pass the Equality Act and codify nondiscrimination protections for the trans community, and to resist efforts to restrict trans students’ access to gender-affirming bathrooms, school sports, and LGBTQ-inclusive curriculums. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Education to protect trans youth.”
According to data from The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, and more than half said they experienced this discrimination in the past year. Those who experienced discrimination in the past year attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention 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. If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 via chat www.TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678-678.
