WASHINGTON, DC — The Trevor Project today celebrated President Biden’s day one executive actions to combat LGBTQ-based discrimination, advance racial equity, support marginalized communities, and address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The LGBTQ non-discrimination executive order directs federal agencies to implement the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It will also direct federal agencies to ensure that all other existing statutes that prohibit discrimination based on sex are treated as inclusive of LGBTQ people. According to data from The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey, a third of employed LGBTQ youth and young adults report experiencing LGBTQ-based discrimination in the workplace — and they were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year compared to those who did not.
“The Trevor Project celebrates today’s executive order combating LGBTQ-based discrimination as a critical first step in the Biden Administration’s commitment to protecting the LGBTQ community. We are hopeful that today’s actions are followed by many more needed to support LGBTQ Americans and LGBTQ youth in particular,” said Amit Paley (he/him pronouns), CEO and Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “We all must come together to confront the non-partisan, public health crises before us — including LGBTQ youth suicide — and to send a message to LGBTQ young people everywhere that they deserve love and respect and that our government is here to support them.”
“It is a true breath of fresh air to see President Biden prioritize LGBTQ non-discrimination protections and inclusive data collection on day one, along with several other key policy changes that will protect marginalized communities,” said Sam Brinton (they/them pronouns), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs of The Trevor Project. “At The Trevor Project, we know that ending LGBTQ youth suicide will require a comprehensive, intersectional approach, including new policies and programs aimed at eradicating risk factors for suicide like LGBTQ-based discrimination, mental health care disparities, and conversion therapy. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration and both parties in Congress to tackle these issues and save young LGBTQ lives.”
A recent survey by The Trevor Project conducted between October and December of 2020 found that over 90% of LGBTQ youth said that recent politics negatively influenced their well-being. This time frame captures the stressful period around the 2020 presidential election and the weeks of intense political division that followed.
The White House also said on Wednesday that President Biden will soon reverse the ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. Brand new polling data from The Trevor Project and Morning Consult found that, among a national sample of 11,000 adults, three in five support allowing openly transgender people to serve in the military, including a majority of military households.
Resources:
- Coping with the Dumpster Fire of the Last 12 months
- If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal or would like support from a crisis counselor, The Trevor Project is available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678678.
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/Help, or by texting START to 678-678.
