HAPPY PRIDE MONTH from Hashtag Hope
CW: SUICIDE
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH TO ALL OUR LGBTQ+ FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
Did you know that LGBTQ+ youth are 3 times more likely to struggle with suicidal ideation compared to cisgendered heterosexual youth?
To all of our beautiful and life giving LGBTQ+ friends and family who are trying their hardest to navigate and break free of the struggles, closets, and chains in your lives right now; we want you to know that you are so loved, accepted, affirmed, and cherished—as you truly are.
We see you in your journey, and we are so proud of you.
Your story speaks of power and you are so loved in whomever you discover yourself to be.
Thank you for existing and showing others that they too can bloom.
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If you are in need of support the LGBT Youthline is free and available.
Whether you are considering suicide or need help identifying; the LGBT Youthline is a safe and free resource for you.
Available Sunday to Friday, 4:00PM to 9:30 PM.
*24/7 crisis support is also available through Crisis Services Canada
*Ontario post secondary text support at Good2Talk
We encourage you to share the LGBT Youthline with those around you.
LGBT YouthLine is a Queer, Trans, Two-Spirit* youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario. We do this by:
- Providing anonymous peer support and referrals;
- Training youth to provide support to other youth; and
- Providing resources so youth can make informed decisions.
Facts about suicide & self harm among LGBTQ+ Youth
(from The Trevor Project)
- Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.1
- LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.2
- LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.2
- Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth.2
- Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.2
- In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.3
- LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.4
- 1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. [5]
- Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.6
SOURCES:
[1] CDC, NCIPC. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. (2010) {2013 Aug. 1}. Available from:www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars.
[2] CDC. (2016). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[3] James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality.
[4] Family Acceptance Project™. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics. 123(1), 346-52.
[5] CDC. (2016). Sexual Identity, Sex of Sexual Contacts, and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students in Grades 9-12: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[6] IMPACT. (2010). Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths. American Journal of Public Health. 100(12), 2426-32.