LGBTQ+ youth across the country are facing an increased risk for suicide, as reported by the 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People by the Trevor Project. At the forefront of this issue are conversations about anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, barriers to accessing mental health care and the importance of resources for the community.
The Trevor Project surveyed 28,000 LGBTQ young people from ages 13 to 24 across the U.S. and found that 41% of them seriously considered suicide. The report also showed 49% of LGBTQ youth in Arizona seriously considered suicide and 16% of them attempted it in 2022.
Grayson Agrella, 21, is a queer transmasculine student currently studying anthropology, art history and French at the University of Arizona. He said in his experience, restrictive legislation can contribute to mental health struggles.
“You have to watch the country convince itself that you’re such a problem, and then you just have to go grocery shopping anyway,” Agrella said. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to move on with the rest of your life when everything is like this. I think it has a huge mental health impact, watching public sentiment turn against you, against an aspect of your identity.”