LGBTQ+ youth mental health crisis worsens as U.S. policies roll back protections, reveals report

LGBTQ+ young people continue to face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, including suicidal thoughts and attempts, according to The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ youth in the United States.

The groundbreaking study highlights the struggles of LGBTQ+ youth and exposes the harmful effects of discrimination, bullying, and exclusionary policies – factors that further isolate and marginalize them. These challenges have worsened under the current U.S. administration, which has rolled back protections for LGBTQ+ rights, including policies supporting non-binary recognition and access to gender-affirming care. As a result, LGBTQ+ youth face an increasingly hostile and unsafe environment.

The research, which surveyed more than 18,000 individuals aged 13-24 across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., provides a stark view of the mental health landscape for young LGBTQ+ people and the systemic challenges they face. The findings reaffirm a troubling reality: LGBTQ+ young people continue to experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, including suicidal thoughts and attempts.

“These data reinforce that LGBTQ+ youth are not disproportionately impacted by suicide because of who they are, but rather, because of how they are mistreated, stigmatized, and discriminated against,” said Jaymes Black (they/she/he), CEO of The Trevor Project. “This is an incredibly difficult time for many LGBTQ+ young people – and these findings give us critical insight into the unique challenges they face in every state. We hope lawmakers, advocates, youth-serving professionals, and allies in every corner of the country use this research to better understand and support the young people in their communities.”

The report presents a deep dive into state-level disparities and regional trends, offering key insights into the varying degrees of acceptance, access to mental health care, and exposure to discrimination. While LGBTQ+ youth in states like Massachusetts and Maine reported higher levels of community acceptance, those in states across the South and Midwest faced significant barriers to mental health support and higher rates of discrimination.

Other key regional findings revealed that:

• States like Texas and South Carolina saw some of the highest percentages of LGBTQ+ youth unable to access mental health care (60% and 63%, respectively). Discrimination rates were also among the highest, with 65% of LGBTQ+ youth in Alabama and 66% in Arkansas reporting experiences of bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Young people in Massachusetts (90%) and Maine (81%) reported feeling more accepted in their communities, and suicide attempt rates were lower compared to other regions.
• Ohio and Nebraska reported some of the highest rates of suicidal thoughts (43% and 45%) and suicide attempts (12% and 16%), as well as alarming levels of physical threats and harm based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
• States like Montana and Oregon had the highest levels of affirming home environments (54%), yet still reported significant levels of depression, with over 50% of LGBTQ+ youth in California experiencing symptoms of depression in the past year.

The report also found deep disparities in LGBTQ+ youth experiences across the various US states. For example:

• 35% of LGBTQ+ young people in California seriously considered suicide in the past year, with 50% reporting they were unable to access mental health care.
• 92% of LGBTQ+ youth in Florida reported that recent politics negatively impacted their wellbeing, and 69% considered leaving the state due to LGBTQ+ policies and laws.
• 75% of LGBTQ+ youth aged 13-17 in Maine reported being bullied based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• 72% of LGBTQ+ young people aged 13-17 in Wisconsin experienced bullying, and 91% said politics had harmed their mental health.

Dr. Ronita Nath Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project, emphasized that while these findings are grim, they also serve as a roadmap for change: “These data give us a clear call to action: we must all do our part to make LGBTQ+ young people feel more welcome and accepted in the places they call home.”

As the national debate around LGBTQ+ rights and policies continues to evolve, these findings serve as a crucial resource for policymakers, educators, and advocates looking to create safer, more supportive environments for LGBTQ+ youth. For a complete breakdown of the state-by-state data, check out The Trevor Project’s full report here.