Trevor Project research highlights LGBTQ+ youth challenges by region
New research by The Trevor Project gives a state-by-state look at the mental health, suicide risk, access to care, impacts of anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and more of 18,000 young people ages 13-24 across the United States, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
“Similar to previous research, this data reinforces 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, CEO of The Trevor Project in a statement.
The organization’s leader said the study’s findings give “critical insight,” into the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth and can help lawmakers, advocates, and youth-serving professionals better understand and support this population in their communities.
The research shows LGBTQ+ young people report high rates of mental health challenges, suicidality, and associated experiences of anti-LGBTQ+ victimization such as bullying, discrimination, threats of physical violence, and conversion therapy.
In the Northeast, LGBTQ + young people reported higher community acceptance—for example, Massachusetts at 90% and Maine at 81% when compared with states with the lowest levels like Mississippi at 21% and Tennessee at 33%.
Further, Connecticut had lower levels of suicidal thoughts and attempts, with 26% and 6%, respectively, while New Hampshire showed 36% youth having suicidal thoughts and 10% making attempts.
For comparison, LGBTQ+ young people in the Midwest had some of the highest rates, with Ohio reporting 43% suicidal thoughts and 12% suicide attempts and Nebraska even higher with 45% and 16% rates.
The Midwest also had some of the highest rates of physical threat or harm based on sexual orientation or gender identity, with Kansas at 28%.
Although the West had some of the highest rates of affirming home environments (Montana and Oregon at 54%), it also had high levels of depression with 52% reporting the condition in California over the past year.
Specifically in New England, key findings included:
• 45% of LGBTQ+ young people in Maine wanted access to mental health care but did not receive it and 87% in that state reported that recent politics negatively impacted their well-being.
• Also in Maine, 75% of LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-17 reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 35% of those ages 18-24 reported the same.
• In Vermont, 69% experienced anxiety and 58% reported depression, while those rates were 67% and 51% in Rhode Island.
• In Connecticut, 43% of that population wanted but did not receive care, mostly because they were afraid to talk about their mental health challenges (46%) or did not want to obtain parental permission (35%).
• More than ¾ of Rhode Island youth primarily received high levels of support from friends, compared with 32% LGBTQ+ and 19% transgender or binary getting that aid from family.
• In New Hampshire, 78%of respondents felt their community is accepting of LGBTQ+ people, including 71% of transgender and non-binary people.
New Hampshire study participants said the top ways people can show acceptance and support include:
“Trusting that I know who I am”—90%;
“Not supporting politicians who advocate anti-LGBTQ+ legislation”–81%; and “Standing up for me—79%.
Will Dempsey, LICSW is the founder and manager of Heads Held High Counseling, a Boston-area queer owned and gender diverse staffed practice serving the LGBTQIA+ community.
Dempsey noted the value of collecting this type of data is to understand how best to support marginalized communities, including queer youth, who experience disproportionately high rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidality.
He urged The Trevor Project, however, to partner with BIPOC-led organizations in future studies to ensure “an accurate and representative sample,” of respondents.
Dempsey acknowledged that Black and brown queer youth often experience an even greater mental health impact because of the “compounded effects of racism, economic disparities, and systemic barriers to care.”
He added, “Understanding these disparities allows us to advocate for more inclusive, intersectional mental health resources that serve all queer youth equitably.”
Dempsey was struck by a critical contributor–lack of support from family and friends—as well as limited access to affirming spaces, the impact of hostile political climates, bullying and harmful practices like conversion therapy.
Nationwide, he referred to results of only low or moderate family support in the past year—often exceeding 75%.
“Family rejection remains one of the biggest risk factors for poor mental health outcomes, underscoring the need for advocacy, education, and community-based support systems,” he said.
Dempsey spoke about regional differences often being the result of politics, with more conservative ideologies prevalent in rural areas and cities becoming “hubs” for queer communities, “where older generations create affirming spaces for younger ones.”
He urged mental health professionals to be “culturally informed,” and said that The Trevor Project report could be “invaluable” in helping clinicians build stronger, more informed connections with LGBTQ+ youth.
By understanding the reported rates of bullying, the fear of therapists because of concerns about conversion therapy and the lack of family support the youth are experiencing, Dempsey said, therapists “can build rapport more effectively and approach their clients with greater sensitivity and awareness.”
“Feeling truly seen is foundational to trust in a therapeutic relationship, and this research equips clinicians with the knowledge needed to create that space,” Dempsey said.