Transgender Youth Suicide

The first source, “Suicidality Among Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth,” researches a study of 21,927 sexually active students in the grades 9 through

Many social workers have had minimal training and preparation in servicing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning (LGBTQ) clients. It is not uncommon or unlikely that even the most seasoned practitioner will display some form of negative bias or utilize misinformation with assisting these clients. Because the Universe and the norms are steadily changing and evolving we as social workers must do the same to better assist our clients especially our oppressed populations. This research paper will provide an in depth look at the LGBTQ community, in particular the adolescent victimization of LGBTQ students in a school setting. Research suggests that youth who identify as LGBTQ are at greater risk of suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts,

Grossman, Arnold H. Anthony R. D’Augelli. “Transgender Youth: Invisible and Vulnerable.” Journal of Homosexuality. Vol. 51, No. 1 (2006): pages 111-128. Web. 25 June 2015. Arnold H. Grossman, a professor of Applied Psychology at New York University, and Anthony R. D’Augelli, professor of Human Development at Pennsylvania State University, did a study of Transgender youth from ages 15 to 21. The study was designed to determine the factors that affect the youth, who either identify as transgender or their gender does not fit the normal gender descriptions. Focus groups were used as nonthreatening environment to examine the youths’ social and emotional experiences. The study not only provided insight on their emotional and social experiences but

I have chosen to discuss the effects of anxiety and depression on transgendered people. For this paper I am using Transgender to mean: “ a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate.” (Gladd.org)

This is in direct correlation with the increased probability of mental illnesses in the transgender population. Traditional views certainly do not help as many transgender citizens are told they are “sick” because of their difference with many religious and personal beliefs. A study from Boston published earlier this year in the Journal of Adolescent Health, reported that transsexual youth had two to three times increased risk of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorder, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, self-harm without lethal intent, and both inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment. These statistics show the clear consequences of mental health transgenders are facing if transgender rights continues to be unregulated. It is essential that the federal government steps in to take action in order to make sure things do not continue on this downwards path.

Attempting suicide is an epidemic in the United States; especially when 41% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide compared 1.6% of the general population (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). Due to this, the question of whether or not transgender youth have a harder, more straining adolescence than their cisgender counterparts rises. Although adolescence can be hard on everyone, experiences such as a school environment, puberty, laws that guarantee protection, family and social acceptance of transgender youth are harder than those of their cisgender counterparts (harder does not necessarily mean correlate with strenuous, the use of harder is aiming more towards different, costly, and possibly more confusing). The revolution for transgender lives is just beginning, change is happening. But in order for change to occur, adequate information on the material needs to be discussed and terminology must be defined and questions must be answered. Questions such as: what do the terms transgender and cisgender actually mean? Why is it important to know the difference between the two terms? What is the difference between transsexual and transgender?

Classrooms, consisting of 9th-through-12th graders from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, were randomly sampled to complete the Boston Youth Survey. The correlation research study excluded schools that served adults, previously incarcerated students, suspended students, and severely disabled students to minimize introduction of confounding variables. Participants in the Boston Youth Survey (BYS) were asked specifically with regards to their individual-level sexual orientation and suicidal ideation and attempts among other questions. Of the 2725 individuals sampled, 1878 completed the survey and were asked, on the sexual orientation item in the BYS questionnaire, to identify themselves with 1 of 6 categories that best described themselves: (1) completely heterosexual, (2) mostly heterosexual, (3) bisexual, (4) mostly homosexual, (5) completely homosexual (i.e., gay or lesbian), or (6) not sure. Respondents were then asked explicitly "Have you seriously considered attempting suicide?" and "Have you actually attempted suicide? [within the 12 months preceding survey administration]" with yes and no response options for those questions (Duncan & Hatzenbuehler, 2014). To test their hypothesis, researchers then obtained LGBT hate crimes data with help from the Boston Police Department Community Disorders Unit and linked the community information to

Research with nationally representative samples has revealed greater odds of psychological distress among sexual minority youths than among heterosexuals. A study with a community based sample of transgender youths found that 94% had experienced some form of sexual orientation based victimization. In addition, victimization has been associated with greater psychological distress including symptoms of somatization and anxiety, depression, substance use, suicide attempts, and PTSD (Mustanski, Andrews, &Puckett, 2016). They might be at risk for mental health problems later in life because of accumulation of stressors over

In the United States Transgender women (individuals who are sex-assigned male at birth but identify as female) experience high rates of severe depression due to pervasive discrimination that they face in society. According to Hoffman (2014), when compared to the general population, Transgender individuals experience much higher rates of depression with estimates as high as 62% (as cited in Clements-Noel, Marx, Guzman, and Katz, 2001). Due to these high rates of depression, Transgender women are at increased risk for overall negative health outcomes, which severely limits them from living happy, healthy, and productive lives. According to studies by Nemoto, Operario, Keatley, Nguyen, and Sugano, (2005) there is a growing understanding of the

Over thirty percent of adult and young adult transgender individuals have attempted suicide in 2014, according to suicidology.com, so creating an accepting and encouraging environment is vital for transgender people thrive.

The prevalence of having attempted suicide was higher among gay, lesbian, and bisexual students is 29.4%; while for heterosexual students it is only 6.4%. In transgender people 48% of the respondents stated that they had suicidal thoughts within the last year. When only 4% of the U.S. general population had these thoughts. CONCLUSION

Suicide is a health problem in the U.S. today. The LGBTQ teens are said to be twice as likely to commit suicide then heterosexual teens. It is stated that not all suicide attempts are a facet of the person being Gay, BI, or transgender. However, many factors can contribute to suicide, such as: hopelessness, major depression, impulsivity, past suicide attempts, conduct disorder, victimization, or rejection. Hence, the risk is higher for rejected youths well into their adulthood. I think the factors that make the LGBTQ teens more risk for suicide is bullying, cyberbullying, self-identification or loss of friendships due their sexual identifications, or orientation, and rejection from their peers, or rejection from their parents/families. Support

This study assessed individual structural forms of stigma as risk factors for suicide attempts among transgender adults. Internalized transphobia was analyzed through a combination of results such as a 26-item scale including four dimensions: pride, passing, alienation, and shame. State-level statistical structural stigma was operationalized as a composite index. Outsourcing a multivariable logistic generalized estimating equation models assessed associations of interest among an online sample of transgender adults (N= 1,229) representing 48 states and the District of Columbia. This is a helpful source for current stigma at multiple levels in order to reduce the vulnerability of

Living in a transgender person’s shoes would show you the constant hate and violence they experience on the daily. A survey of 1,005 trans people, had shown trans men had a higher chance of assault than females. Loree says in (“Boys Do Cry” 2015) “...Transmasculine individuals were actually more likely to be victims of childhood sexual assault, adult sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking…”: (Loree Cook-Daniels). In addition assaults and hate crimes can lead to attempted and successful suicides. In Loree’s article she points out in (“Boys do Cry”2015), “...41 percent, for those who had experienced physical assault it rose to 61 percent. Sexual assault survivors had a 64 percent attempt rate and 65 percent of

Brian Mustanski and Richard Liu’s study elucidated predictors of suicide attempts of LGBT youth (2013). Their study revealed two important findings; first, the strongest predictor of attempted suicide was the feeling of hopelessness caused by a lack of social support for the LGBT community, and the stigmatization of gender non-conformity and same-sex attractions (442-5). Second, their study revealed that LGBT youth are twenty-eight percent more likely than heterosexual youth to suffer from mental health disorders such as major depression, conduct disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder—all of which have a strong positive correlation with suicide attempts (447-9).