Don’t Our Kids Deserve to Grow Up?

Something is wrong.

Something has to be wrong, when 1 in 7 people who dies by suicide is a child. And when suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 24.

And something has to be terribly wrong when, even compared to these statistics, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are still nearly 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers.

Greater risk

It’s shocking, but true: Gay and transgender youth are at a much greater risk for suicide than the average adolescent. More than 2 out of 5 think about suicide often, and 1 in 3 have attempted it.

It’s not because of who they are. It’s because adolescence is stressful, and facing adolescence as a gay or transgender teenager is even more stressful still.

Because imagine how you would feel if you were regularly harassed and assaulted for being “different”—not just by your peers, but even by your parents.

Imagine finally being brave enough to completely open up to your loved ones about yourself—and being rejected, or even thrown out of the house.

Imagine feeling like you have nowhere to turn for help or support. Imagine feeling so isolated, unloved and alone that you start to wonder if anyone gives a damn whether you’re alive—or dead.

Giving a damn matters

It’s time to give a damn about the suicide risk of our gay and transgender youth. Not just because all kids deserve to know that someone cares about them, but also because research has shown that giving a damn actually makes a huge difference in the lives of gay and transgender teens. Peer support groups, teacher training, a caring adult — all help lower the suicide risk among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth.

It’s time to give a damn, because growing up should be about making friends, discovering the world and discovering yourself—not about finding a way to end your pain and end your life.

JOIN GIVE A DAMN!

• Join the Campaign if you haven’t already
• Learn about the Campaign

GET INFORMED

Knowledge is power. We all need to stay informed.

• Download the Damn PDF about Youth | Suicide
• Watch one of our Damn Videos or read people’s Personal Stories
• Check out our Damn Blog
• Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

GET INVOLVED

Spread the word. Encourage the people in your life to get involved—especially if they’re straight and have never given this issue a lot of thought. Simply:

• Share one of our Damn Videos or someone’s Personal Story
• Share Your Personal Story
• Download and use some Damn Stuff

GET MORE INFORMED AND INVOLVED

Visit our nonprofit partner’s website; they’re experts on youth | suicide. They can provide you a ton of additional resources and ways to get involved:

• The Trevor Project

Information on this page was provided by:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• CDC
• The Trevor Project: “The Trevor Project’s Research and Academic Messaging Guide”
• GLSEN: “From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America”
• GLSEN: “2007 National School Climate Survey”