The Trevor Project, an organization combatting suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, said that it experienced a 33% increase in people seeking help on Monday, the day that President Donald Trump was inaugurated. On that day, Trump signed an executive order instructing the federal government to stop legally recognizing trans people, rolling back numerous civil rights orders issued by former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
“The political targeting of LGBTQ+ youth — and transgender and nonbinary youth in particular — must stop,” the Trevor Project’s CEO Jaymes Black wrote in a statement, according to Advocate. “Whether it was the 700% increase on our lines following Election Day in November or the 33% increase we saw [Monday], we urge lawmakers and the media to recognize the impact that their rhetoric can have on young people’s health and safety, and do better.”
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“No matter your political beliefs or how you feel about the current administration, one thing must be made clear to all of us living in the United States: Real young people’s lives are at risk — and we must take immediate action to support LGBTQ+ youth,” Black added.
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The Trevor Project wasn’t the only LGBTQ+ youth organization to receive a dramatic increase in crisis calls after Trump’s inauguration. The Rainbow Youth Project USA Foundation hotline received over 1,400 calls by early Monday afternoon. Before Trump won the election, the organization fielded about 3,765 calls per month.
Calls to the organization’s hotline also increased significantly following Trump’s election victory. In November and December, the number of calls more than doubled, with mover 8,000 people contacting the hotline each month. And in the first 19 days of January, there had already been almost 4,000 calls.
“Our hotline serves as a critical lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth grappling with the challenges of bullying, social stigmatization, and the looming threat of institutionalized discrimination,” Kristen Johnston, case manager and crisis team leader at the Rainbow Youth Project USA Foundation, said in a statement. “The data we’re seeing is alarming, and it underscores the urgent need for advocacy, community support, and immediate action to protect our youth.”
Soon after taking office, Trump also revoked an executive order issued by his predecessor, President Joe Biden requiring federal agencies to protect LGBTQ+ children in foster care from discrimination and abuse.
Trump new orders forbid trans individuals from accessing facilities and social services matching their gender identity and forbid the federal government from changing trans people’s gender on government-issued identity documents. He has also pledged to severely restrict youth access to gender-affirming care and to ban trans people from the military.
A 2023 Trevor Project survey found that anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is making 66% of queer youth more anxious and suicidal. The survey also found that LGBTQ+ young people who had access to affirming homes, schools, community events, and online spaces reported lower rates of suicidality and mental distress compared to those who didn’t.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The Trans Lifeline (1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for youth via chat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.
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