Politics, bullying harm LGBTQ+ youth in Pa., report says
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A rainbow arch outside of the Pennsylvania Capitol. Photo: Paul Weaver/SOPA Images via Getty Images
Stigma, bullying and politics are fueling high anxiety and depression rates among LGBTQ+ youth in Pennsylvania, who face high barriers to accessing mental health care.
The big picture: More than a third of 653 young LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians ages 13 to 24 surveyed by crisis intervention organization The Trevor Project seriously considered suicide in 2023, according to state-level research released this month.
By the numbers: More than two-thirds of young LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians reported experiencing anxiety in "the last year," the Trevor Project survey found. Just over half experienced depression.
- Rates of both anxiety and depression were higher among transgender and nonbinary people.
- About 5.8% of Pennsylvania adults identified as LGBT in 2020-21, higher than the national rate of 5.5%, a 2024 Axios analysis found. The number of U.S. adults identifying as LGBTQ+ is growing fast as younger generations enter adulthood.
Threat level: Just under a quarter of respondents reported being physically harmed or threatened based on their orientation or gender identity.
- 61% of those under 18 said they had been bullied.
Stunning stat: Nearly half of those in need of mental health care went without it, held back by cost, fear of judgment or not being taken seriously.
Yes, but: Almost 70% of the respondents said they live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ+ people.
Friction point: Nearly all of those surveyed said politics hurt their well-being a lot or sometimes.
Caveat: The data is from late 2023, but LGBTQ+ advocates say demand for mental health support is growing as federal and state policies aim to reshape LGBTQ+ rights.
Case in point: The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association in February changed its policy allowing transgender players in high school sports after a presidential order banning transgender athletes from girls' athletics.
- A lawsuit filed by two Western Pennsylvania school districts seeks to limit the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's power to investigate discrimination complaints involving LGBTQ+ people.
- Families told The Pitt News that UPMC Children's denied gender-affirming medicine to their trans kids after Trump's order halting federal funding. The order has been temporarily blocked by the courts.
- The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a challenge to Colorado's law banning conversion therapy, a case that has implications for Pennsylvania's law banning the practice.
What they're saying: "Even having these very public debates about whether a person deserves to be affirmed or supported puts vulnerable kids at risk of self-harm," says Cabe Angel, a community activist for LGBTQ+ rights in Beaver and Lawrence counties, noting people in rural areas are more vulnerable than those in urban ones.
- Resources for families of LGBTQ+ youth seeking mental health care in Western Pennsylvania can be found here and here.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Ayuda disponible en español.