At Axios, author Arika Herron breaks down the mental health impact on trans youth of bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights, more than 400 of which have been introduced around the country this year:Â
âThe record-setting number of bills targeting the transgender community is already harming trans’ youths mental health, experts and advocates warn.
âWhy it matters: Advocates and the parents of transgender kids say lives are at stake.
- The LGBTQ+ community is already at higher risk for disorders like anxiety and depression, said Joshua Goodman, assistant professor of psychology at Southern Oregon University who studies issues related to the LGBTQ+ community and identifies as bisexual.
- This is especially true for LGBTQ+ youth, who consistently report higher rates of depression and suicidal ideation than their straight and cisgender peers.
âBy the numbers: In poll released earlier this year by the Trevor Project, 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth said the recent debates over state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health.
- Among all LGBTQ+ youth, 1 in 3 reported cyberbullying or online harassment, 1 in 4 reported that they stopped speaking to a family member or relative, and 1 in 5 reported bullying.â
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