A sweeping new national survey is putting hard numbers on a crisis many LGBTQ+ families and educators say they see unfolding in real time: more than one in three LGBTQ+ young people reported seriously considering suicide in the past year, and about one in ten said they actually attempted it. Respondents linked that distress to a steady drumbeat of anti-LGBTQ+ political fights, bullying at school and online, and a mental-health system that too often shuts them out.
The data comes from The Trevor Project's 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, released May 6, 2026. More than 16,000 people ages 13 to 24 took part. According to the report, 36% said they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 10% said they had attempted suicide. Researchers also documented gaps by gender identity and age, and reported that 84% of respondents wanted mental-health care, while 44% of those who wanted it were not able to get it.
Bullying, politics and gender care
The report warns that, in the words of The Trevor Project, "creating spaces and communities where LGBTQ+ young people feel welcome and accepted serve as powerful interventions." More than half of respondents ages 13 to 17 said they were bullied in the past year, and the survey found that those who were bullied had more than three times the rate of suicide attempts compared with peers who were not bullied. The survey also found that transgender and nonbinary youth who were unable to access desired hormone care were nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who could get that care.
Local reporting and reaction
Local outlets have been picking up the survey and asking what it means in classrooms and living rooms. As Cleveland.com reported, the numbers have sparked calls for more counseling and affirming support systems in schools. Coverage from News 5 Cleveland highlighted advocates who say the mix of bullying, heated public debate over LGBTQ+ rights, and barriers to basic mental-health care is creating a perfect storm for young people.
Barriers to care are concrete
Summaries of the study have zeroed in on what stands between young people and the support they are asking for. Respondents cited familiar hurdles: the cost of care, lack of transportation, fear that seeking help would out them before they are ready, worries about not being taken seriously, and rules that require permission from a caregiver. Medical and health outlets noted that while most LGBTQ+ young people said they wanted counseling, nearly half who tried to get it could not, a gap experts say schools and local providers will have to confront head-on. Advocates are pushing for more affordable, confidential, and culturally competent services tailored to teens and young adults.
What helps: schools, adults and affirming spaces
Coverage has also emphasized that the report is not just a catalogue of harms, but a map of what works. Analyses point to clear protective factors: having supportive adults at school, access to gender-affirming spaces, and consistent respect for pronouns and identity all correlate with lower suicide-attempt rates. Reporting notes that roughly 85% of youth who attend school said there is at least one adult there who affirms their identity, and that young people living in very accepting communities attempt suicide at much lower rates. Community organizations, educators, and health providers say strengthening that safety net is one of the most direct ways to drive those numbers down.
Help and next steps
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. The Trevor Project also offers LGBTQ+-affirming support at 1-866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678678. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
