A new survey of LGBTQ youth across the country finds 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in 2021, the year survey responses were collected. At the same time, 60% of youth who wanted mental health care were not able to get it.
The comes from The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and mental health organization.
In the three years since The Trevor Project started surveying LGBTQ youth, the percentage of respondents reporting symptoms of anxiety has increased. So has the percentage of youth who say they鈥檝e considered suicide.
In addition to questions about mental health, the survey includes national data on the percentage of youth who report they have experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender. The survey also has figures on the impact of COVID-19 on their families.
For the first time since starting national surveys in 2019, The Trevor Project broke down the results state by state.
The findings in Oregon and Washington
The same mental health concerns that face LGBTQ youth nationwide are also felt in the Pacific Northwest.
In Oregon, 44% of have 鈥渟eriously considered鈥� suicide in the past year. That figure is only slightly lower in Washington, where 41% of considered suicide.
For transgender and nonbinary youth the percentages were higher: 54% in Oregon and 49% in Washington. Nationally, the percentage of trans and nonbinary youth who have considered suicide was over 50%, though the number is higher for transgender boys or men.
In Oregon, 59% of LGBTQ youth wanted mental health care but were not able to get it. The main reasons included the fear of talking about mental health concerns with other people and fears about not being taken seriously.
In Washington, the percentage of youth surveyed who wanted mental health care was 54%, and while some reasons were the same as in Oregon, Washington youth also expressed concerns about getting parental permission to receive services.
Other statistics reported by The Trevor Project are similar between Oregon and Washington, with more than 70% of LGBTQ youth reporting experiences with discrimination.
Ninety percent of Oregon LGBTQ youth say recent politics have harmed their well-being 鈥渟ometimes鈥� or 鈥渁 lot.鈥� That number is 89% in Washington.
鈥淲hether you鈥檙e looking at things happening across the country, like or , or whether you鈥檙e looking closer or local like here in Oregon, kids are paying attention, kids are hearing what adults are saying,鈥� said Basic Rights Oregon鈥檚 Blair Stenvick. "It鈥檚 important to remember the stakes of that.鈥�
In Oregon, after the Newberg school board banning 鈥減olitical鈥� symbols, a complaint was filed regarding a rainbow flag in the window of a Newberg elementary school. That complaint led to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Oregon, resulting in a recent court ruling that. The State Library of Oregon has seen more parents and community members , including books related to LGBTQ people.
As far as the demographics of those surveyed, in both Oregon and Washington, a majority of people surveyed were youth between 13 and 17, with a smaller share of respondents aged 18 to 24. In Oregon, 65% of the respondents were white, with most non-white respondents identifying as Latinx or multiracial.
Just over half of the respondents in Washington were white, with multiracial, Latinx and Asian American or Pacific Islander youth making up most of the non-white respondents.
Youth also shared 鈥� which range from cooking and music to attending drag shows and having supportive teachers.
According to The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth who live in accepting communities and attend schools that are LGBTQ-affirming 鈥渞eport lower rates of attempting suicide.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 this unfounded fear by some that being inclusive towards different students would somehow put their children in danger,鈥� Stenvick said. 鈥淏ut I think data like this really shows that it鈥檚 really the opposite. That not having these inclusive policies is what puts kids in danger.鈥�
Where LGBTQ youth find support
The majority of LGBTQ youth in Oregon and Washington find high support among friends and lower amounts of support from their families. Youth report communities in their respective states are mostly accepting, with over 70% of youth in both states reporting 鈥渟omewhat accepting鈥� or 鈥渧ery accepting鈥� communities.
When asked what makes spaces affirming to LGBTQ youth, comments referenced seeing pride flags and having protections for LGBTQ people: 鈥滻f teachers are out being LGBTQ,鈥� read a comment from Oregon; 鈥淢y pronouns are respected and my chosen name is used,鈥� read one in Washington.
A higher percentage of Oregon LGBTQ youth say home is a more affirming space than school. In Washington, the opposite is the case.
Stenvick with Basic Rights Oregon, said efforts like the Oregon Department of Education鈥檚 and ODE鈥檚 on supporting trans students are tools to help improve support for LGBTQ students in Oregon.
But Stenvick said it鈥檚 important that these school supports are implemented without being politicized.
. The serves youth in southwest Washington, and . Other resources include .
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the by dialing 988, or the by texting HOME to 741741.
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