The Trevor Project's Coming Out: A Handbook for LGBTQ Young People is a resource that covers a wide range of topics to support LGBTQ young people in exploring what coming out safely can mean for them. The handbook includes:
The basics of sexual orientation: physical attraction, romantic attraction, and emotional attraction
The basics of gender: gender identity, gender expression, and transitioning
Questions and considerations to think about before coming out, including timing, location, available support systems, safety planning
The Trevor Project's research demonstrates that LGBTQ youth face serious challenges in coming out. According to The Trevor Project's 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health:
42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth.
75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, and more than half said they experienced this discrimination in the past year. Those who experienced discrimination in the past year attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not.
Many LGBTQ youth lack access to affirming spaces, with only half of LGBTQ youth reporting that their school is LGBTQ-affirming and only 1 in 3 saying that their home to be LGBTQ-affirming.
13% of LGBTQ youth reported being subjected to conversion therapy — and those who were reported more than twice the rate of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who were not.
Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all of the people they lived with attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected by anyone with whom they lived. However, more than 60% of transgender and nonbinary youth under the age of 18 said that none of the people they
However, we also know that:
Acceptance can be life-saving: Having at least one accepting adult can reduce the risk of a suicide attempt among LGBTQ young people by 40 percent.
Representation Matters: Over 80% of youth said that celebrities who are LGBTQ positively impact how they feel about being LGBTQ.
2021 National Survey findings specific to Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth:
52% seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 31% attempted suicide.
76% reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the past two weeks
71% reported symptoms of major depressive disorder in the past two weeks
49% wanted counseling from a mental health professional in the past year, but didn't get it
80% stated that COVID-19 negatively impacted their mental health
77% stated that their mental health was "poor" most of the time or always during COVID-19
46% said COVID-19 impacted their ability to express their sexual orientation
55% said COVID-19 impacted their ability to express their gender identity (among trans and Two-Spirit youth)
42% who had a job reported that they lost it during COVID-19.
82% stated that COVID-19 made their living situation more stressful.
50% reported having trouble affording enough food (aka experiencing food insecurity) in the past month.
21% reported being subjected to conversion therapy.
If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project's trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678678.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world's largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.
