LGBTQ+ Youth Need Support!

"LGBTQ+ Youth are not inherently prone to higher suicide risk

because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Rather, they are placed at higher risk because of how they are

mistreated and stigmatized in society."

The Trevor Project 2024 U.S. National Survey

on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People

Minority groups experience Minority Stress stemming from

stigma and discrimination, which in turn puts them

at risk of negative physical and mental health outcomes.

Key risk factors for LGBTQ+ Youth include:

·  Depression and Suicide

·  Bullying, Physical Harm & Sexual Assault

·  Family Rejection and Lack of Social Support

·  Stigma & Discrimination

These issues drive FLoatarama’s efforts to lift up the more than

One-in-Five Youth who identify as LGBTQ+.

FLoatarama makes grants to local agencies providing services to LGBTQ+ Youth including health & wellness, suicide & bullying prevention, education & arts.

Florida's Safety Grade F and 50th place ranking for LGBTQ+ Safety in the

SafeHome.org 2024 LGBTQ+ State Safety Report Card

underscores the urgent need for support of LGBTQ+ Youth.

LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term referring to all sexualities, romantic orientations, sex characteristics, and gender identities that are not heteronormative.

According to Gallup, 9.3% of U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ+ with more than
One-in-Five (23.1%) of Gen Z identifying as LGBTQ+.

LGBTQ+ is clearly a Minority, but larger than typically recognized,

and the increased rate of LGBTQ+ identification by younger generations

is a clear sign of ongoing progress!

LGBTQ+ Youth are four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers
(Johns et al., 2019; Johns et al., 2020).

The Trevor Project estimates that 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people 

(ages 13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S.

and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds.

The Trevor Project identifies that

24% of LGBTQ+ Youth reported being physically threatened or harmed,

and 52% of LGBTQ+ Youth in middle or high school reported being bullied.

These young people are three times more likely to attempt suicide.

Only one-third of LGBTQ+ Youth are accepted by their parents,

with an additional one-third experiencing parental rejection,

and the final one-third not disclosing their LGBTQ+ identity until they are adults

(Katz-Wise et al., 2015).

Many LGBTQ+ Youth lack access to spaces where they feel safe and affirmed, with only 38% of LGBTQ+ Youth having an accepting home

and only 52% having an accepting school.

(The Trevor Project)

60% of LGBTQ+ Youth experience discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, and those who did attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not.

(The Trevor Project)