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Record Number of Bills Targeting Transgender Community Harms Mental Health of Youth
Transgender youths in the US are reportedly experiencing mental health issues due to the record number of bills targeting them. Experts and advocates warn that lives are at stake. LGBTQ+ community members are at a higher risk of disorders like anxiety and depression, especially for LGBTQ+ youth who report higher rates of depression and suicidal ideation than their peers. The Trevor Project’s poll reveals that 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth say that the recent debates over state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. Among all LGBTQ+ youth, 1 in 3 reports cyberbullying, while 1 in 4 has stopped speaking to a family member or relative, and 1 in 5 reports bullying. Over 400 bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights have been introduced this year, and even the considerations of those measures can cause harm to individuals in that community.
The mental health of LGBTQ+ youth has been reportedly deteriorating over the last three years as suicidal thoughts have trended upward. Last year, 45% of LGBTQ+ youth reported seriously considering a suicide attempt. The number was higher for gender-diverse youth, with transgender boys and young men peaking at nearly 60%. Transgender kids will die if bills that ban gender-affirming care for minors, restrict which pronouns teachers can use for transgender children and regulate which bathrooms transgender people can use are passed, warns Leonardo Hinnant, a freshman college student and transgender man from Georgia who recently told the state lawmakers.
Callers to SAGE’s mental health hotline have increased nearly two-fold since January, says Sherril Wayland, director of special initiatives at SAGE, an advocacy organization representing older LGBTQ+ people. This new and concerted effort to roll back rights has also been re-traumatizing for older members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially that nearly a decade after the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
However, proponents of bills that ban gender-affirming care for minors say they’re needed to protect children from making life-altering decisions that they’re not old enough to fully understand. They argue that medical decisions must be made between parents, children, and their doctors and not the government. Conversely, some parents note medical decisions for their children should not be made by the government. Gender-affirming care receives widespread support as appropriate and medically necessary by major health groups, including the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics.
If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, seek immediate support. LGTBQ+ youth can connect to a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project anytime, anywhere from the U.S. by calling 1-866-488-7386 or texting ‘START’ to 678-678. It’s free and confidential. You can also call 988 to reach the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and speak with a trained crisis specialist 24/7. If you’re an LGTBQ+ elder or caregiver, you can call the free SAGE Hotline at 877-360-LGBT (5428). The hotline is available 24/7 in English and Spanish, with translation in 180 languages.
