A new report from The Williams Institute and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “Suicide Attempts among Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Adults,” compiles findings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Forty-one percent of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals attempt suicide, compared to 4.6 percent of the general population and 10 to 20 percent of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations.
A significant step forward in research in transgender studies, the study documents the risk factors that specifically contribute to the higher prevalence of suicide attempts among transgender and non-gender conforming adults. These include lower socioeconomic status; history of victimization at home, work, or school; discrimination; and the existence of a major health issue (particularly HIV or a mental health condition that significantly affect a person’s life