Hi Friend,

Over the last several months, the volume of LGBTQ youth reaching out to The Trevor Project’s crisis services has significantly increased. As our crisis counselors provide 24/7 support to LGBTQ youth, we also wanted to learn more about how the pandemic and recent violence against Black Americans have impacted the mental health of LGBTQ youth.

The Trevor Project and Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, conducted a poll among a national sample of 1,200 young people between the ages of 13-24. What we found in the polling data reflects what we’ve been hearing anecdotally via our 24/7 phone lifeline, chat, and text crisis services.

Perceptions of the police and reactions to Black Lives Matter differ drastically by race, LGBTQ identity

• Support for Black Lives Matter is very high among all young people, with support higher among LGBTQ youth than straight/cisgender youth.
• LGBTQ youth, specifically Black LGBTQ youth and trans youth, deeply distrust the police.
• LGBTQ youth reported more skepticism about the presence of police in their neighborhoods and the highest rates of harassment and mistreatment by police.
• Black and White LGBTQ youth share similar perceptions of the LGBTQ community at large, along with sources of joy and self-care.

COVID-19 has negatively impacted the mental health of LGBTQ youth and presented them with unique challenges, including stressful living situations

• COVID-19 has made many LGBTQ young people’s living situations more stressful and limited their ability to be themselves and/or contact their support systems.
• LGBTQ youth were less likely to have access to mental health care than their peers, with one in four LGBTQ youth unable to access the mental health care they desired.
• One-third of all LGBTQ youth said they were unable to be themselves at home, and nearly one-third of transgender and nonbinary youth felt unsafe in their living situation since the start of COVID-19.

We invite you to check out the full results of the poll to learn more about these critical findings. By sharing these unique insights with your friends, family, and colleagues, we can all have a better understanding of the mental health impacts of the last several months on LGBTQ young people.

We know that there is a lot more work to do, and we are grateful for your partnership to support LGBTQ youth every day.

Sincerely, 
The Trevor Project

RESOURCES

• Read: Black and LGBTQ: Approaching Intersectional Conversations, a resource to help readers navigate tough conversations around the intersection of marginalized identities: race and LGBTQ identities. 
• Read: How LGBTQ Youth Can Cope With Anxiety and Stress During COVID-19, a blog post that can help LGBTQ youth manage the wide range of emotions they might feel at this time.
• If you or someone you know needs help or support, contact The Trevor Project's TrevorLifeline 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386. Counseling is also available 24/7 via chat every day at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting 678-678.