Followup: Confronting the S Word
The Gazette
By Jill Page
Fri, Dec 4 2009
http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/patentpending/archive/2009/12/04/unacceptable-rates.aspx (http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/patentpending/archive/2009/12/04/unacceptable-rates.aspx)
Following up on the Correction post, I'm trying to get more information on the suicide rates -- and attempted suicide rates -- for trans people, which are reported to be higher than the average rates in the general population. Pinning down precise numbers, though, is no simple task. But one thing is clear: the number of suicide attempts among transgender youth, as well as LGB youth, is unacceptably high, perhaps as much as 50% or more in the U.S.
I really don't like posting on this subject, but we need to raise awareness, especially in light of the high-profile suicide of Mike Penner/Christine Daniels last week. I think many of us are still grieving.
So, here are some bits of information I have found so far. The University of New Hampshire offers some tips (below) on how everybody can help reduce sucide risk factors for LGBT people.