Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Suicide
by Kevin Caruso
"I always knew that I was gay. I also remember seeing heterosexual couples and knowing that I wasn't like them. I would get very depressed about not being like other kids. Many times I would take a kitchen knife and press it against my chest, wondering if I should push it all the way in," said Alex, a 14-year-old gay youth.
And innumerable gay, lesbian, bisxaual or trangendered (GLBT) youths have similar feelings.
Many do not feel safe to "come out" with their orientation. And, unfortunately, they are often right. Innumerable GLBT youths have been subjected to severe verbal and physical abuse. And this relentless bullying can lead to suicide.
The intolerance against the GLBT community is rooted in ignorance.
Ignorant people cannot accept others that are not like them. And they do not understand that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendereds do not "choose" their orientation -- they are born gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, just like some people are born with white skin and others are born with black skin.
Adolescence is a very difficult stage for anyone to go through. But gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders have the added difficulty of dealing with this ignorance, as well as intolerance, discrimination, hate and rejection.
Many GLBT youths have "come out" only to be rejected by their friends and family, in addition to being ridiculed and bullied. It would be very difficult to imagine a GLBT youth who would not become depressed under such circumstances.
And untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.
It is difficult to research GLBT youth suicide because many young gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendereds have not "come out." But it has been estimated that as many as 30 percent of all youth suicides are completed by gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendereds.
That is an extremely high percentage, and is cause for great concern.
And the discrimination, ignorance, and intolerance that members of the GLBT community experience when they are young continue into adulthood.
If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered and need help, please reach out. There are many resources available.
And please remember that the people who are ignorant and insensitive are the ones with the problems - not you! Stay away from them, and surround yourself with caring and supportive people. But take steps to protect yourself, your rights, your feelings, and your physical and mental health.
If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered and are suffering from depression or are suicidal, please go to the Home Page of this website and get help immediately.
Or call The Trevor Hotline, which is a 24-hour toll-free suicide prevention line aimed at gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning youths:
1-866-4-U-TREVOR
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And please read the following articles for more infromation on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered suicide:
Suicide Note of a Gay Teen
Joshua Melo Memorial -- Joshua, 15, Died by Suicide After Being Incessantly Bullied Because Some Cowards Believed That He Was Gay
Hate Against Gays and Lesbians can Lead to Murder and Suicide --
Remembering Matthew Sheppard and John French
I Want to Kill Myself: A Suicide Survivor Shares Her Suicidal Feelings and Suicide Attempt
Take care of yourself,
Kevin Caruso
