The Importance of Affirming Spaces and Communities for LGBTQIA+ Youth

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat the Research SaysFinding Safe Havens OnlineHow Can We Support LGBTQIA+ Young People?Next in Ally Up GuideThe Intersection of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC Identities

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What the Research Says

Finding Safe Havens Online

How Can We Support LGBTQIA+ Young People?

Next in Ally Up Guide

Point blank,LGBTQIA+young people experience challenges and difficulties that theircisgender, heterosexual peers do not, from higher rates of mental health conditions to queerphobic bullying.

The survey found that LGBTQ+ young people report high rates of mental health conditions, suicide risk, bullying, discrimination, conversion therapy, and threats of physical violence. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that they’d seriously considered attempted suicide in the past year, with 12% attempting. Nearly half (49%) of LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-17 had experienced bullying in the past year, with higher rates of attempting suicide among those who’d experienced it.

Despite this, only half (50%) of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care in the past year were able to get it.

Ninety percent of respondents said that recent politics, too, had negatively impacted their well-being, while nearly half (45%) of young transgender andnonbinarypeople said that they or their family had considered moving to a different state because of the politics and legislation where they live.

“This year’s survey shows that considering or attempting suicide is not uncommon among LGBTQ+ young people,” says Ronita Nath, PhD, vice president of research at The Trevor Project. However, many of the contributingrisk factors for suicideare preventable, and often rooted in victimizing behaviors of others. The results of this survey clearly identify a need for adults and allies to create more affirming environments for LGBTQ+ young people, and better support them in being their true selves."

Online spaces can provide a safe haven for LGBTQ+ young people to make friends with shared interests, get peer advice and support, and better understand themselves as they navigate their identities.—RONITA NATH, PHD, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AT THE TREVOR PROJECT

Online spaces can provide a safe haven for LGBTQ+ young people to make friends with shared interests, get peer advice and support, and better understand themselves as they navigate their identities.

—RONITA NATH, PHD, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AT THE TREVOR PROJECT

She explains, “It’s important to recognize that LGBTQ+ young people are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of theirsexual orientationorgender identity, but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated, marginalized, and stigmatized in society. The Trevor Project’s research consistently shows that LGBTQ+ young people who have access to LGBTQ+ affirming spaces and communities report lower rates of attempting suicide.”

Lower rates of mental health difficulties were reported when the respondents had access to affirming spaces and communities in their lives, too.

Dismantling Barriers to LGBTQ+ Mental Healthcare

Many young LGBTQIA+ people do have access to affirming spaces, as well as people who are supportive. Seventy-eight percent of LGBTQIA+ young people who attend school reported having at least one adult at school who supports and affirms their identity, while over half (52% and 54%) of LGBTQIA+ and trans and nonbinary young people respectively describe school as an affirming space. When it comes to the respondents' homes, this falls to 40% and 38% respectively, while just 36% and 39% respectively find work an affirming space.

Most LGBTQIA+ young people (65%) know at least one older LGBTQIA+ person they look up to or consider a role model. For 64%, their LGBTQIA+ role models include people they follow on social media, while for 38%, they include friends. Less common are role models in the family, at work, or part of the faculty at school.

The impact of these affirming spaces and communities on young LGBTQIA+ people cannot be overstated. Whereas 13% of LGBTQI+ young people without access to affirming spaces at home had attempted suicide in the past year, this number fell to 9% of those whodohave that access. Likewise, 14% of respondents without access at school had attempted suicide in the same time frame, against 10% who did have access.

The Trevor Project also asked LGBTQIA+ young people how accepting their local community is of LGBTQIA+ people, and this had an impact on their likelihood of attempting suicide, too. Twenty percent of respondents who lived in ‘very unaccepting’ communities had attempted suicide in the past year, which fell to 8% when it came to those respondents who lived in ‘very accepting’ communities.

If you are a young person in crisis, you can contactThe Trevor Projectat1-866-488-7386for support. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are a young person in crisis, you can contactThe Trevor Projectat1-866-488-7386for support. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Similarly, trans and nonbinary people who don’t have access to a gender-neutral bathroom at school were more likely (15%) to attempt suicide than those who do (9%). Meanwhile, trans and nonbinary young people with access to binders, shapewear, and gender-affirming clothing reported lower rates of attempting suicide too, at 12% rather than 15%.

Where LGBTQIA+ young people may not find support in real life, they’re often finding it online. Over two-thirds (68%) of respondents described finding affirming spaces and communities online, which raises to 73% when just considering trans and nonbinary young people.

“These online spaces can provide a safe haven for LGBTQ+ young people to make friends with shared interests, get peer advice and support, and better understand themselves as they navigate their identities,” says Dr Nath. She mentionsTrevorSpace, the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ+ young people.

These online spaces can provide a safe haven for LGBTQ+ young people to make friends with shared interests, get peer advice and support, and better understand themselves as they navigate their identities.—RONITA NATH, PHD

—RONITA NATH, PHD

And this is particularly true for those young people who may not find support at home and are not able to openly discuss their sexual orientation at school. A lot ofanti-LGBTQ+ legislationhas been passed in recent years, with more in the pipeline, and much of it affects young people and their education. Dr Nath says that over 500 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been considered across the US so far this year, with trans and nonbinary young people frequently targeted.

“With such striking numbers and families literally wanting to uproot their homes to seek safety, lawmakers must seriously reconsider the real and damaging impact that their anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and rhetoric create. No ‘political victory’ should be worth risking the lives of young people."

For the young people surveyed, the following are the most important ways that people in their lives can show their support and acceptance:

No ‘political victory’ should be worth risking the lives of young people.—JANSON WU

No ‘political victory’ should be worth risking the lives of young people.

—JANSON WU

When Your Child Comes Out As LGBTQIA+: Understanding, Supporting, Affirming

Keep In Mind

Growing up as an LGBTQIA+ young person can be difficult, but, generally, it appears to be a lot easier when young people have affirming spaces and communities, supportive people, and role models.

If you have a young LGBTQIA+ person in your own life, it’s easy to show your support, and if you are an LGBTQIA+ young person yourself, there are plenty of places to find support, whether in person or online.

If you need help, says Dr Nath, “The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7, via call, text, and chat. In addition, if an LGBTQ+ young person dials the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, they may be routed to The Trevor Project’s counselors as part of 988’s LGBTQ+ specialized services network.”

Mental Health Resources to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Causey N.Increased prevalence of suicide in the adolescent population within the LGBTQ community compared to adolescents in the heterosexual population: An integrative review.Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2023.Madireddy S, Madireddy S.Supportive model for the improvement of mental health and prevention of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 2022;27(1):85-101. doi:10.1080/02673843.2022.2025872The Trevor Project.2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Causey N.Increased prevalence of suicide in the adolescent population within the LGBTQ community compared to adolescents in the heterosexual population: An integrative review.Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2023.Madireddy S, Madireddy S.Supportive model for the improvement of mental health and prevention of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 2022;27(1):85-101. doi:10.1080/02673843.2022.2025872The Trevor Project.2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.

Causey N.Increased prevalence of suicide in the adolescent population within the LGBTQ community compared to adolescents in the heterosexual population: An integrative review.Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2023.Madireddy S, Madireddy S.Supportive model for the improvement of mental health and prevention of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 2022;27(1):85-101. doi:10.1080/02673843.2022.2025872The Trevor Project.2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.

Madireddy S, Madireddy S.Supportive model for the improvement of mental health and prevention of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 2022;27(1):85-101. doi:10.1080/02673843.2022.2025872

The Trevor Project.2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.

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