Study: Anti-transgender bullying alarmingly high
by Hannah Clay Wareham
Bay Windows
Sunday Oct 17, 2010
More than half of transgender or gender non-conforming people who experienced
bullying or harassment have attempted suicide, according to a recently released
study.
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality,
revealed that 41 percent of respondents had attempted suicide, compared to a
national estimated rate of 1.6 percent.
"From our experience working with transgender people, we had prepared ourselves
for high rates of suicide attempts, but we didn’t expect anything like this,"
said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender
Equality. "Our study participants reported attempting suicide at a rate more
than 25 times the national average."
Rates of attempted suicide rose dramatically -- to 59 percent -- when the
victim’s teacher or professor was the perpetrator of bullying or harassment.
Among those who had been physically assaulted by a teacher or professor, 76
percent reported having attempted suicide.
"These shocking and disheartening numbers speak to the urgency of ending
bullying in our nation’s schools and ending discrimination in our nation’s
workplaces. We know from the recent rash of suicides among young people who have
been bullied just how critical it is that we act now and act decisively to save
lives," said Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force.
Preliminary results from the study were released late last year, and can be
viewed at http://bit.y/alGYqK.
If you or someone you know is depressed or contemplating suicide because of
anti-gay bullying or harassment, please call The Trevor Project’s hotline at
(866) 488-7386 or visit www.thetrevorproject.org.
http://tinyurl.com/2efacos
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc&sc2=news&sc3&...
Comments
I've run the numbers before
taking averages and figures and coming up with the amount of TG suicides per year.
Note:
Successful suicides are not included in those statistics. So it's worse than it looks.
Hugs to all,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I was just...
...thinking about that. >.<
-Liz
Successor to the LToC
-Liz
Successor to the LToC
Formerly known as "momonoimoto"
2004-2006 were the worst years for me.
Five hospitalizations, one really serious attempt ... but I got over it. I found that the Drugs Celexa, Welbutrin and Trazidone actually made me much worse.
Don't think about it much any more, and now when I think of it, I know that it is time for some self care. There is life after suicide attempts.
Gwendolyn
NOTE!!! The correct url
NOTE!!!
The correct url is:
http://bit.ly/alGYqK
Ginnie
GinnieG
Suicide triggers
I'll have to say that talking about suicide right now is taking me to a very dark place, so I am gonna say my piece and bow out.
In my state, GID folk are legally delusional. That hurts like hell, because I lived a long work life, was a successful family person, had my own Contracting company ... yada yada yada. I think that is probably typical of most TG folk. I think those of us who "do it" have become socially issolated, and that is enough to eventually drive most of us over the edge.
I have read some articles that say the GBLT organizations are discussing why T folk are so compromised, and I think that one good explanation is that in our society, men have the power and men can not understand why one of their own would defect. Another aspect is that sometimes men are sexually attracted to us and that ignites confusion within them. Some wonder, "Am I gay, am I some sort of pervert?" We may think it is hard for us, but it can also be hard for those who encounter us. So, I think that one of the things that GBLT organizations are thinking about is: "how can we help our sisters to be less issolated"?
I know of a post op person who is now living with a couple college women, and she knows that she is there partly because they need her to pay 2/3 of the expenses. She says that is fine with her, but there are times when it all gets emotionally exhausting. She just told me that one of the girl's mother, (a psychotherapist) visited them for several days, and it was hard to keep from reacting negatively to mom's probing, intrusive comments and questions. She said that she came away with a much better sense of her personal boundaries, but it wore her out.
I have lost hope that I will ever be seen as a woman who is suitable to pose on a Magazine cover, but it would just be nice if people could just refer to me as the trans without the negative social connotations. Maybe in the next generation.
Gwendolyn