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National Statistics on Mental Health and LGBT youth

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National Statistics on Mental Health and LGBT youth

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Download the
Bullying and LGBT Youth
Factsheet (PDF)
While trying to deal with all the challenges of being a teenager, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) teens also have to deal with harassment, threats and violence directed at them on a daily basis. LGBT youth are nearly twice as likely to be called names, verbally harassed or physically assaulted at school compared to their non-LGBT peers. [1] Their mental health and education, not to mention their physical well-being, are at-risk.

How is their mental health being affected?

Substance Use: Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are more than twice as likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. [1]

Happiness: Only 37% of LGBT youth report being happy, while 67% of non-LGBT youth say they are happy. However, over 80% of LGBT youth believe they will be happy eventually, with nearly half believing that they will need to move away from their current town to find happiness. [1]

Self-Harm: With each instance of verbal or physical harassment, the risk of self-harm among LGBT youth is 2 ½ times more likely. [2]

Suicide: Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.[3]

How is their education being affected?

Gay teens in U.S. schools are often subjected to such intense bullying that they're unable to receive an adequate education. LGBT youth identified bullying problems as the second most important problem in their lives, after non-accepting families, compared to non-LGBT youth identifying classes/exams/grades. [1]

LGBT youth who reported they were frequently harassed in school had lower grade point averages than students who were less often harassed. [4]

One survey revealed that more than one-third of gay respondents had missed an entire day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe there.[4]

LGBT youth feel they have nowhere to turn. Sixty percent of LGBT students did not report incidents to school staff. One-third who reported an incident said the staff did nothing in response. [4]

What can we do to help?

Schools should offer a safe and respectful learning environment for everyone. When bullying is allowed to take place, it affects everyone. The 2011 National School Climate survey recommends: [4]

Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs). School clubs provide safe spaces and support networks for LGBT students. Students who attended schools with GSAs reported fewer homophobic remarks, more intervention from school personnel and a greater sense of connectedness.

Supportive educators. LGBT Students who report having a greater number of supportive staff (six or more) had higher GPAs.

Comprehensive bullying/harassment policies and laws. Students reported that school staff intervened twice as often in schools with comprehensive bullying/harassment policies.

Help end bullying at your school with the following actions:

Be alert to signs of distress.

Work with student councils to have programs on respect, school safety and anti-bullying.

Ask school personnel to have a discussion at an assembly or an after-school activity about gay prejudice.

Help start a Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) chapter at your local high school.

Arrange for a group like GLSEN to present bullying prevention activities and programs at your school.

Do encourage anyone who's being bullied to tell a teacher, counselor, coach, nurse, or his or her parents or guardians. If the bullying continues, report it yourself.

Other Resources

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Download the Bullying and LGBT Youth Factsheet (PDF) While trying to deal with all the challenges of being a teenager, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) teens also have to deal with harassment, threats and violence directed at them on a daily basis.

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue. "Until now, history has been written and told by men, to the detriment of others. Part of any attempt to create a society in which all people - regardless of gender, sexuality or race - have equal opportunities and freedoms is to use language that no longer excludes certain groups or creates unconscious bias."

Just because a nonbinary person isn't present doesn't make it OK to use binary language.

Many nonbinary people aren't as vocal about their identity and pronouns as others, and you can't know someone's gender by looking at them, Hoffman-Fox stresses. Nonbinary people reflect a wide variety of gender expressions and are sometimes still identified as male or female because they don't present as androgynous.

"It's fairly common for people to assume that a nonbinary person isn't in the room," Hoffman-Fox said. "The truth is, there is no way someone could know that, unless they have had conversations with every person in the vicinity and have asked them if they use binary terms to describe themselves."

Hold those around you accountable.

Don't be afraid to correct those around you, such as your classmates and even teachers, about using exclusive, gendered language, but do understand not everyone receives criticism in the same way.

"Some people will be comfortable with being very direct, like: 'Excuse me, but when you used ladies to describe our friend group, it leaves out those who are uncomfortable with being gendered as female,'" Hoffman-Fox tells Teen Vogue. "Some may want to take a more subtle approach, such as repeatedly using a gender-neutral term within earshot of the person using binary language."

Pay attention to which responses work better for certain people.

"Depending on the situation, you can address the situation with the person publicly or privately, in person or through a message," Hoffman-Fox adds. "Try to keep it as simple as possible, explaining briefly what binary language is and how it can often result in people feeling invisible."

Remember that binary language also harms cisgender and binary transgender people.

Nonbinary people aren't the only ones hurt by binary language. Binary transgender people (or trans people who aren't nonbinary) and cisgender people are also affected - and often harmed - by the gender binary and how ingrained it can be in our language. For instance, many women prefer not to be lumped into a group of "ladies" because of society's expectations of how a lady should act.

"There are people who aren't nonbinary who are uncomfortable with binary gendered terms, thanks to these terms also being experienced as stereotypical," Hoffman-Fox says. "Shifting to gender-neutral language is of benefit not only to those who are nonbinary but to many others in society who feel that binary terms are inaccurate ways of describing them."

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The Gender-Neutral Words You Need to Know for Back to School

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue.

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From film kits and lesson plans to the building blocks of a customized Learning Plan—texts, student tasks and teaching strategies—our resources will help you bring relevance, rigor and social emotional learning into your classroom—all for FREE.

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Valley Youth House: Building foundations, shaping futures.

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Valley Youth House is the catalyst for youth to achieve their desired future through genuine relationships that support families, ensure safe places, and build community connections.

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The Gay Lesbian Straight Educator Network

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In this statement, GLSEN's National Student Council condemns police brutality and calls for greater support for Black lives

Read the Statement

Get involved and join your community, local, or state GLSEN chapter

GLSEN Chapters create LGBTQ-inclusive schools. Community-led chapters offer teacher trainings, student support, community outreach, and more.

Recent Research

Research, Reports, and Briefs

Research, Reports, and Briefs

Research, Reports, and Briefs

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In this statement, GLSEN's National Student Council condemns police brutality and calls for greater support for Black lives Read the Statement GLSEN Chapters create LGBTQ-inclusive schools. Community-led chapters offer teacher trainings, student support, community outreach, and more. Research, Reports, and Briefs Research, Reports, and Briefs Research, Reports, and Briefs

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The Trevor Project - Saving Young LGBTQ Lives

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A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.

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Local community resource for students and families

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Serving the LGBTQ+ community of the Greater Lehigh Valley

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Advocating for LGBTQ Equality | Human Rights Campaign

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The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer equality.

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Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in your life. When you will be spending at least a couple years, and thousands of dollars, on something, you want to make sure you make sure it's the perfect fit.

You most likely have some priorities when it comes to choosing your school. Obviously, you want to go to a school that offers a great education in the subject you've chosen to study. Extracurricular activities and sports might be important to you, or maybe you're more interested in the cultural options nearby. Housing and social environment are always important, and of course, the cost. The list goes on, and everyone has different expectations for their college experience.

That being said, there are a few considerations that can potentially make or break the college experience that tend to be overlooked. They might not seem important right now, but are likely to matter over time.

1. Hidden Costs

College are generally upfront about the costs of attendance, including tuition, room and board, and fees, and when you budget for your education, you know to include costs for books, lab fees, and the like. But what about the other costs of college that you might not think about? For example, if you choose a college on the other side of the country, how will you get home for holidays and breaks? Will you need to store your belongings over the summer instead of bringing it all home? The cost of living in different areas can vary as well, which can take a bite out of your budget. These expenses can add up, so think about how you'll manage them before making your decision.

2. Opportunities After Graduation

The rate of students who are employed or heading to graduate school is likely important to you as you compare schools. You want to know that you will be able to achieve your goals post-graduate, but when you look at those numbers, pay attention to where students are getting jobs or going to school. Consider whether you will be able to get into the best online MBA program or land a great job in your field - where you want to work. There's a good chance that your school's career services department will have a great placement record, but many of those jobs will be regional. In other words, if you go to school in Boston, expect to see recruiters and job-listings from Boston-based companies. That's great if you want to stay in New England after graduation, but if you aren't interested in sticking around after graduation, expect to do more of the legwork yourself. [Read more...]

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Youth Guide - Leadership & wellness for all youth

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Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in your life. When you will be spending at least a couple years, and thousands of dollars, on something, you want to make sure you make sure it's the perfect fit. You most likely have some priorities when it comes to choosing your school.

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Our 400+ chapter network provides confidential peer support, education and advocacy in communities in nearly all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Our 200,000+ members and supporters cross multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas.

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A PowerPoint put together by students for teachers, expressing what they want their teachers to know.

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The following resources were used to gather national data on LGBT youth.