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Surge in calls to LGBTQIA+ crisis hotlines by queer youth post Donald Trump's election victory.

Surge in Communications from The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQIA+ youth, as they reported a 125% uptick in call, text, and chat interactions on Election Day.

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LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention organization, The Trevor Project, reports a 125% surge in...
LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention organization, The Trevor Project, reports a 125% surge in inquiries via calls, texts, and chats on Election Day.

Queer Youth in Crisis: Fear, Anxiety, and Suicide Over the 2024 US Election

Published Nov 8, 2024 at 11:55 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

Surge in calls to LGBTQIA+ crisis hotlines by queer youth post Donald Trump's election victory.

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Troubling days have hit the LGBTQIA community as crisis hotlines saw startling spikes in calls from young queer individuals who feel severely unsettled by the recent US presidential election outcome. For many, it's a grim reminder of rights being threatened, and for some, the return of Donald Trump potentially raises the specter of a tragic new era.

According to The Washington Post, organizations like the Rainbow Youth Project have experienced a significant increase in calls this month, surpassing their monthly average of 3,765 calls by more than 400. The Trevor Project, dedicated to suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young adults, reported a whopping 125% increase in contact compared to ordinary days.

One grim tale shared by the Rainbow Youth Project recounted a 16-year-old non-binary teen who, distraught over the election results, had penned an agreement with three other queer peers to take their own lives if Trump were to win. Feeling remorse, this teenager reached out for help to escape the pact's grim grip.

Lance Preston, executive director of the Rainbow Youth Project, expressed concern about the rising calls, stating, "We are receiving these calls out of fear. Fear that we will lose our children to suicide and fear of the challenges this new administration will set up for us."

The Republican Party leaves little ambiguity regarding its agenda against transgender rights. With transgender care already a contentious issue in the US, the re-election of Trump and the takeover of both the Senate and House of Representatives can be a grim omen for those in the trans community.

In his campaign speeches, the new president has vowed to block physicians from receiving federal funding for gender-affirming care. This election pledge, if enacted, could restrict access to vital care and place trans youth at further risk. Furthermore, reports suggest Donald Trump intends to investigate the provision of gender-affirming care and potentially reverse the Title IX regulations that safeguard trans students but are currently blocked in roughly half of US states.

Suicide rates are a significant concern within the LGBTQIA+ community. LGBTQIA+ youth account for the second leading cause of death for children aged 10-14 years and the third leading cause for individuals aged 15-24, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Trevor Project reports that LGBTQIA+ youth are a staggering four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.

Trump's win could have global repercussions, leaving the entire LGBTQIA+ community grappling with a future that appears increasingly inhospitable to their basic human rights to exist and thrive.

Sources:
  1. CDC – Why does sexual orientation and sex of birth matter? https://www.cdc.gov/lgbt/index.htm
  2. The Guttmacher Institute – A Peek Inside the Biden-Harris Administration’s Title IX Proposal https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2021/01/peek-inside-biden-harris-administrations-title-ix-proposal
  3. The Trevor Project – 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health https://www.thetrevorproject.org/2021/01/2021-national-survey-on-lgbtq-youth-mental-health/
  • Florida Governor DeSantis signs 'Let Them Die Act', jeopardising lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals
  • Florida plans to extend Ron DeSantis' Don't Say Gay law into workplaces and ban use of preferred pronouns
  • Idaho passes damaging law allowing students to sue schools if they see a trans child in the bathroom

In the aftermath of the 2024 US election, science and health-and-wellness organizations have reported startling spikes in calls from distressed queer youth, indicating a potential mental-health crisis among this demographic. The Rainbow Youth Project, for instance, has seen a significant increase in calls this month, surpassing their monthly average by more than 400.

The Republican Party's re-election of Donald Trump and control over both the Senate and House of Representatives could have far-reaching consequences for transgender rights in politics, with Trump publicly vowing to block federal funding for gender-affirming care and potentially reverse Title IX regulations. This, coupled with the alarming rates of suicide among LGBTQIA+ youth, raises serious concerns about the future of mental health within this community.

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