Published September 29, 2024

Note: I trust that the headline/title is its own content warning.

This is what we said would happen. A new study says rates of past-year suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth increased amid the escalation of state-level anti-trans laws.

Let me say what people also need to hear: For the most part, young people don’t end their lives because they’re trans. They end their lives because of how society treats them because they’re trans. The same with young nonbinary people. I’d bet my life on it. I am betting my life on it in one sense or another every day.

Don’t believe me? Believe what Ronita Nath, who runs research for The Trevor Project, told NPR for its story about the study.

Trans and non-binary young people are not inherently prone to increased suicide risk because of their gender identity. They are placed at higher risk because of how they’re mistreated and stigmatized by others, including by the implementation of discriminatory policies like the ones examined in the study.”

The Louisiana Illuminator has more. So does The 19th, which was the first to publish the report after its release last week by Nature Human Behaviour. I won’t list the news organizations that haven’t covered it, but I’m not surprised by their disinterest or delayed response. Their track records speak for themselves.

The seventh anniversary of my coming out as trans is Tuesday, my birthday. I try but can’t tell you everything about how bad it is for us, but it might soon be about to get even worse. There are deep pockets and powerful people behind this largely Catholic-driven push that has gained allies in so-called Christian circles. Please help.

Featured image via Shutterstock.