Anti-trans messaging has deepened despair among Wisconsin LGBTQ+ youth...

[Jessica_Rose]

Anti-trans messaging has deepened despair among Wisconsin LGBTQ+ youth, new report finds

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/anti-trans-messaging-has-deepened-despair-among-wisconsin-lgbtq-youth-new-report-finds/ar-AA1ABo48?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=7983ce81ec754e73bd2781cd8b011ba7&ei=116

Story by Natalie Eilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10 March 2025)

Ramped-up political rhetoric that denies the existence of transgender and gender nonbinary youths is having a toll on Wisconsin's LGBTQ+ youths, a new state survey from The Trevor Project says.

The survey, which was published on March 5, asked LGBTQ+ youths aged 13 through 24 across the United States, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., to weigh in on their well-being, mental health risks, access to care, and challenges faced. It's among the first comprehensive reports to capture the impact of recent aggressive GOP campaigns that dismiss the experiences of trans and nonbinary youths.

More than 18,000 LGBTQ+ youths across the country contributed to the national report called the 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People by State. The survey was conducted between September and December of 2023, amid waves of anti-trans ads that continued to dominate television, podcasts and mailers over the next year.

- Nearly half of trans and nonbinary youths considered suicide in 2024
- Nearly half of LGBTQ+ youths wanted ― but did not receive ― mental health care
- More than 60% of LGBTQ+ youths experienced discrimination on sexuality and gender
- Many LGBTQ+ youths have considered leaving Wisconsin
- Support means trusting that LGBTQ+ youths know who they are