As more anti-trans bills are being passed, the rate of internet searches for “suicide” and “depression” increased by 13-17%. It was found that when anti-trans bills were defeated, these search terms significantly decreased. Research by Dr. George Cunningham and his team found that areas with higher density LGBTQ2S+ populations had a strong correlation between anti-trans bills being passed and internet searches for “suicide”. In 2021, the Trevor Project reported receiving nearly 4,000 crisis contacts from trans and non-binary youth in Texas related to stress and suicidal thoughts due to anti-trans legislation. A study published in January 2023 found that trans and non-binary youths who receive gender-affirming hormone therapy are happier after the treatment. Nearly two-thirds of the participants with severe depression reported mild or moderate depression at the end of the study.

This article is published in Xtra Magazine.