A new survey has revealed that almost half of transgender schoolchildren in Britain have attempted suicide.
Forty five percent of trans students have attempted to take their own life, compared with 22% of LGB youth.
It’s part of a number of findings in the School Report survey, compiled by LGBTQ charity Stonewall, which documented the experiences of 3,713 LGBTQ youth in Britain’s schools.
Among the findings:
45% of LGBTQ youth have been bullied at school
One in ten trans students are subjected to death threats at school
45% of bullied LGBTQ youth don’t tell anyone about being bullied
Only 29% say a teacher has intervened when they witnessed bullying
A third of trans students are not able to use their preferred name at school
Only 20% of LGBTQ youth have learned about safe sex in same-sex relationships
Shockingly, 84% of trans youth and 61% of LGB youth have self-harmed
96% of LGBTQ young people had to use the internet to learn more about their sexuality/gender identity
Zoe, a 12-year-old student in England, told Stonewall: “I felt like whatever I was doing was worthless. Even if I did well in school, it wouldn’t matter to people because all they would care about is me being gay.”
“I lost confidence and the power to succeed and get the best qualifications,” said George, 16, who attended a faith high school in Scotland. “I left because I was scared and I didn’t belong in that environment.”
Jack, 15, who attends high school in the South East of England, said: “I’ve been bullied all my school life, but when I came out as gay five years ago, and then as trans two years ago, the bullying increased.
“People call me a ‘he-she’, ‘tranny’, and other transphobic slurs. People also call me homophobic slurs like ‘lezza’ and ‘fag’.”
But despite the negative findings, Stonewall Chief Executive Ruth Hunt said there is cause for optimism.
“Thanks to government and cross-party support, compulsory relationships and sex education (RSE) is set to become a reality in England’s schools,” she said. “This is a vital step towards ensuring that all young people are equipped to make informed decisions about their lives and relationships.”
The survey’s findings reflect that. In 2007, 70% of students had never been taught about LGBTQ issues. That figure has fallen to 40% by 2017.
Incidences of homophobic language have also fallen. In 2007, 71% regularly heard “faggot” and other slurs while at school, a figure that now sits at 52% in 2017.
“As we look ahead, we must keep sight of our shared mission: to create a world where every young person can grow up happy, healthy and supported to reach their full potential,” Hunt said. “While much has changed over the past decade, it is clear we cannot be complacent in the fight for equality.”
A new survey finds that many LGBTQ Americans -- especially transgender and nonbinary people -- have altered their lives in response to a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws and rhetoric sweeping the country, with many reporting serious harm to their mental health and overall wellbeing.
Conducted from May 29 to June 13 by NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel for the Movement Advancement Project, the online survey polled 1,055 LGBTQ adults nationwide, including 111 who identified as transgender or nonbinary.
Operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, AmeriSpeak is a probability-based panel designed to reflect the U.S. household population. Randomly selected households are contacted through mail, email, phone, or in-person interviews.
Harvard University has drawn criticism from conservatives after announcing that Tufts professor Kareem Khubchandani -- who performs and occasionally lectures in drag as "LaWhore Vagistan" -- will serve as a visiting associate professor in its Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality department.
The visiting professorship was established through an endowment from members of the Harvard Gender & Sexuality Caucus, the university's LGBTQ alumni group. It was created to bring in scholars focused on issues related to sexual minorities and sexuality.
Khubchandani is scheduled to teach two courses during the 2025-2026 academic year: "Queer Ethnography," in the fall semester, and "RuPaulitics: Drag, Race, and Desire" in the spring semester, focusing on the cultural influence of the show RuPaul's Drag Race.
The FBI has arrested a Texas man for allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a local Pride event.
Joshua Cole, of Anson, Texas, allegedly posted a Facebook comment earlier this month criticizing the Abilene Pride Alliance for banning weapons and certain bags at its annual indoor festival, held September 20 at the Abilene Convention Center on the same day as the group's Pride parade.
The original poster argued the group could not legally stop people from carrying guns into a city-owned building and shared a screenshot of the event flyer listing the venue and restrictions.
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