Transgender youth are more likely to consider suicide than their heterosexual peers due to unequal treatment they face in health care, school, and at home. Numerous studies have shown a larger percentage of depression among transgender teenagers than among heterosexual teenagers. While depression is the leading cause of suicidal thoughts for teens living in the United States, the struggle with depression that many teenagers go through is magnified when they struggle with sexual identity or gender expression issues. Sexual orientation and gender identity issues are still stigmatized and can have a negative impact on the development of the teenage brain and psyche. Transgender teens face this struggle more so than anybody else in their schools, homes, and doctors’ offices.
Transgender youth face a higher rate of suicide than their heterosexual peers. There are over 730,000 attempted suicides per year for all sexualities (Thomerson), averaging 1.6% of the entire population (Moskowitz). Transgender suicide rates are much more high compared to those of heterosexuals, sitting at 41%, or 25 times the normal rate. There are multiple factors included in the cause of suicide, the most prominent being depression. The Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) states on its website that:
Depression is characterized by depressed or sad mood, diminished …show more content…
According to the CDC, 28.5% of teenagers in 2012 were depressed and 15.8% had considered suicide. This means well over 7 million teens were depressed and nearly 4 million had considered suicide. Persons identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (”LGBT”) in the United States have a suicide rate of 20%, and it is 50% for those who have disclosed their sexual identity, or “come out” (Haas, Rodgers,
Transgender youth face a higher rate of suicide than their heterosexual peers. There are over 730,000 attempted suicides per year for all sexualities (Thomerson), averaging 1.6% of the entire population (Moskowitz). Transgender suicide rates are much more high compared to those of heterosexuals, sitting at 41%, or 25 times the normal rate. There are multiple factors included in the cause of suicide, the most prominent being depression. The Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) states on its website that:
Depression is characterized by depressed or sad mood, diminished …show more content…
According to the CDC, 28.5% of teenagers in 2012 were depressed and 15.8% had considered suicide. This means well over 7 million teens were depressed and nearly 4 million had considered suicide. Persons identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (”LGBT”) in the United States have a suicide rate of 20%, and it is 50% for those who have disclosed their sexual identity, or “come out” (Haas, Rodgers,