LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ young people are not inherently prone to higher suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Rather, they are placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.

Over the past five years, suicide has been the second-leading cause of death for people ages 15-19 in the United States—second only to accidents. It might seem convenient or tempting to blame youth suicides on one headlining perpetrator—social media, the COVID-19 pandemic, bullying, or substance abuse, for instance—but the reality is much more complicated. It involves location, race, and socioeconomic status, among other compounding factors.

Certain groups are more at-risk than their peers. A survey from the Trevor Project in 2022 found that 45% of all LGBTQIA+ youth seriously considered suicide within the past year. Suicides amongst Black youth have also increased, partly due to increased racial discrimination and trauma radiating from incidents of public police brutality against Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, and many others.