Research shows that transgender and nonbinary youth who experienced discrimination based on their gender identity had more than double the odds of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who did not.
WASHINGTON, DC — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, condemned West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’s signing of HB391, a bill that will now ban transgender women and girls from playing on school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Six states have now implemented anti-trans sports bans and we know it’s not because they care about ‘fairness’ in women’s sports. Lawmakers are sending a clear message that they don’t value trans lives and would prefer we did not exist entirely,” said Sam Brinton (they/them pronouns), Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project. “The Trevor Project has been hearing from transgender and nonbinary youth across our crisis services who are scared and anxious about the implications of these cruel policies. We will continue to fight for them and work to promote trans-inclusion in athletics and every other level of society.”
Over the last year, The Trevor Project has supported over 950 crisis contacts in West Virginia. As troubling as that is, that’s less than 11% of the number of West Virginia’s LGBTQ youth who we estimate to be in crisis and could benefit from our services.
According to The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, more than half (52%) of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year and 40% reported being physically threatened or harmed in their lifetime due to their gender identity. Further, a peer-reviewed study by The Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth who report experiencing discrimination based on their gender identity had more than double the odds of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those 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.
If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, contact The Trevor Project’s TrevorLifeline 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386. Counseling is also available 24/7 via chat every day at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678-678.
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.
