With over 520 pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation introduced this year alone, it’s clear the queer community is facing a resurgence of nationwide threats to their well-being and existence — and that’s bound to take a toll on their mental health.
Over 220 of the anti-LGBTQ bills target transgender and non-binary people, with 15 bills being passed that ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in states like Florida, Georgia and Texas; seven laws banning books focused on people of color and LGBTQ stories have passed in states like Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah and South Carolina. Notably, nearly one in three LGBTQ-identifying youth report their mental health is suffering most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ legislation, according to The Trevor Project— and it’s doubtful that working adults in the LGBTQ community or parents with queer-identifying kids are faring much better.
