Wed Feb 22, 2012, 04:38 PM

William769 (50,830 posts)

Survey: 41% of Transgender People Attempted Suicide

It's no surprise that young transgender people endure extensive discrimination, but the harsh effect on their mental well-being is starting to come into focus thanks to new studies.

A survey conducted by the Endocrine Division at Children's Hospital Boston found that young people who can't reconcile their gender identity with their physical bodies had high rates of psychiatric complications, especially if aren't guided by health professionals. The Children's Hospital study looked at 97 patients and found 20% self-harmed, while 37% were on psychiatric medications.

A 2010 survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force found that 41% of transgender people attempted suicide at one time.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2012/02/21/Survey_41_of_Transgender_People_Attempted_Suicide/

This needs to be on everyones minds

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Survey: 41% of Transgender People Attempted Suicide (Original post)	William769	Feb 2012	OP
So sad. I wish they could know how much they're not alone.	tblue	Feb 2012	#1
:(	Neoma	Feb 2012	#2
so difficult....	Evasporque	Feb 2012	#3
Yes, that aching desire. It seems to me...	Zenlitened	Feb 2012	#6
Not a surprising statistic, sadly. :(	Zenlitened	Feb 2012	#4
Transgender people endure discrimination even from some gay people. Thank you for this post.	yardwork	Feb 2012	#5
Absolutely disgusting!	Fearless	Feb 2012	#7
This is such an infinitely sad thing	Aerows	Feb 2012	#8

Response to William769 (Original post)

Wed Feb 22, 2012, 04:41 PM

tblue (16,350 posts)

1. So sad. I wish they could know how much they're not alone.

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 02:17 PM

Neoma (10,033 posts)

2. :(

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 02:55 PM

Evasporque (2,133 posts)

3. so difficult....

coping with the aching desire to be the gender that our brains think we are....

I deal better at home...where I am accepted, but elsewhere it is always a issue...stares, laughter, mean and disgusted glances....sometimes threats...

That statistic is not surprising...I contemplate various forms of suicide...but I have no plans on acting on them....sometimes you are just immeasurably sad...and feel broken...alcohol numbs it somewhat...but that is just temporary.

I have noticed a upswing of trans related posts since the roll out of DU3....and for that I am grateful even if the majority of the posts are not good news...at least people are thinking about us.

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Response to Evasporque (Reply #3)

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 07:17 PM

Zenlitened (9,488 posts)

6. Yes, that aching desire. It seems to me...

... it's THAT, even more so than the discrimination, painful as it truly is...

...the ache, the profound and enduring sorrow, it takes such a terrible toll.

So glad that you are here with us in LGBT.

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 02:57 PM

Zenlitened (9,488 posts)

4. Not a surprising statistic, sadly. :(

Too, too often, these kids are in utter, soul-crushing pain.

And these are the ones we know or find out about.

Yet another example of why it's so important for them to see positive role models, discussions based on love not hate, etc.

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Thu Feb 23, 2012, 04:37 PM

yardwork (51,472 posts)

5. Transgender people endure discrimination even from some gay people. Thank you for this post.

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Sun Feb 26, 2012, 06:19 PM

Fearless (18,417 posts)

7. Absolutely disgusting!

To think such a thing is happening all the time because of society's inability to support our fellow people is just awful!

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Response to William769 (Original post)

Wed Feb 29, 2012, 12:34 PM

Aerows (39,961 posts)

8. This is such an infinitely sad thing

Why can't people learn to love one another for what they bring to the table instead of hating each other for ridiculous ideological reasons. Family is family. It makes me so sad to see people miss out on the rich, beautiful life they could have if they just stopped hating everyone that wasn't like them.

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