LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention network The Trevor Project is reporting a significant increase in the number of election-related crisis conversations in the days leading up to the presidential election.
According to The Trevor Project, their 24/7 crisis lifeline, chat, and text services saw a huge increase from November 3 to 4 when compared to October 29 to November 2. The nonprofit organization also reported a nearly 200 percent jump in conversations with election-based keywords like “election” and rights.”
“While alarming, we are not surprised to see that the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ politics of the past few years continue to harm young people’s mental health,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said.
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The mental health hotline reports that the queer young people they serve are facing anxiety, fear, and confusion surrounding the outcome of the election. The Trevor Project’s own research shows that 90 percent of LGBTQ+ youth said “recent politics negatively impacted their well-being.”
This reality disproportionally impacts trans young people who have been confronted with a staggering number of anti-trans laws sweeping the country, which has led to a 72 percent increase in the number of suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary youth in the past year, The Trevor Project reports.
“The current political environment in the U.S. is heavy, but it is so important for LGBTQ+ young people to know that they do not have to shoulder this weight alone,” Black said. “The Trevor Project’s counselors are here 24/7 for any LGBTQ+ young person who needs support – and we will never stop fighting for your right to be safe, supported, and seen exactly as you are.”
