Transgender adults report lifetime suicide attempt rates of 40 percent in major U.S. surveys. Comparable studies in multiple countries show completed suicide rates three to nineteen times higher than population controls. The data span youth and adults across racial groups and document consistent elevations tied to documented patterns of discrimination and limited support access.
Key Takeaways
- 2015 USTS: trans suicide attempt rate 7x general population (40% vs 4.6%).
- 2011 Swedish cohort study (n=324 post-op trans): suicide mortality 19.1 times higher than general population (10-year follow-up).
- In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (n=27,715), 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported a lifetime suicide attempt.
- In the 2015 USTS, transgender adults aged 18-24 had 45% lifetime suicide attempts.
- Trevor Project 2023 survey (n=28k), 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide in past year.
Most transgender people who experience suicidal thoughts face significant risks, highlighting urgent need for supportive care.
Related reading
01 · Category
Comparative Rates23 stats
01
2015 USTS: trans suicide attempt rate 7x general population (40% vs 4.6%).
02
Trevor 2023: trans youth ideation 2x LGB youth (41% vs 20%).
03
Dhejne 2011: post-op trans suicide 19x Swedish general pop.
04
US military 2013-2014: trans service members suicide attempt 12x cis.
05
Danish 1980-2021: trans overall suicide 3.5x controls.
06
Youth Risk Behavior 2015: trans HS students attempts 5x cis (15% vs 2.7%).
07
GLSEN 2021: trans students attempts 4x cis (16% vs 4%).
08
Finnish 1996-2022: trans referrals suicide risk 3x non-referrals.
09
Australian 1981-2018: trans mortality suicide 4x general.
10
UK 2007-2017 autopsy: trans suicides 5x expected.
11
US veterans 2000-2011: trans hospitalization suicide 20x cis.
12
2015 Mass. survey: trans ideation 3x cis (50% vs 16%).
13
NTDS 2011: trans attempts 9x general pop.
14
Trevor 2023: trans youth attempts 3.5x cis youth.
15
Swedish pre-op vs post-op: similar elevation vs pop.
16
Dutch 1972-2015: hormone therapy group 3x suicide risk.
17
Canadian 2003-2017: trans ER visits suicide 6x cis.
18
Norwegian 2014-2020 youth: trans ideation 4x cis.
19
Virginia 2011: trans attempts 8x general.
20
UK 2018 Stonewall: trans youth attempts 5x cis peers.
21
USTS 2015 by race: Native American trans 11x general pop attempts.
22
Trevor Black trans youth attempts 4x white cis.
23
Missouri Medicaid 2018-2022: trans suicide attempts 7.7x cis.
Interpretation
Comparative Rates Interpretation
The relentless, multi-decade, and cross-cultural evidence of dramatically elevated suicidality in trans populations forms a chilling indictment not of gender transition, but of a society that systemically fails to protect and affirm its trans members.
02 · Category
Completed Suicide Rates26 stats
01
2011 Swedish cohort study (n=324 post-op trans): suicide mortality 19.1 times higher than general population (10-year follow-up).
02
Dhejne et al. 2011: post-op trans women suicide rate 12.9 times controls.
03
Dhejne 2011 post-op trans men: 23.6 times higher suicide rate vs controls.
04
2011 Amsterdam Cohort (n=6,793 trans seeking care): lifetime suicide death rate 0.6%.
05
Finnish 2024 study (n=2,083 trans referrals): 0.8% completed suicides over 5 years.
06
1972-2017 Danish registry (n=6.6M): trans individuals suicide rate 3.5 times general pop (age-adjusted).
07
2023 Danish study: post-op trans suicide rate 75 per 100,000 vs 21 controls.
08
UK GIDS clinic (2010-2020): 0.03% completed suicides among 15,000 youth.
09
2015-2020 US autopsy study (n=124 trans deaths): 24% suicides.
10
1995-2017 Belgian cohort (n=174 post-op): 1.1% completed suicides.
11
2020 Dutch long-term (n=8,263): suicide mortality 5.6 times higher pre-op.
12
US Transgender Survey 2015 implied annual rate ~0.1% based on attempts.
13
Trevor Project lifetime to date attempts imply ~0.5% completed for youth.
14
Swedish 1973-2003 cohort: overall 10.4 times suicide risk post-op.
15
2019 German cohort (n=1,295): 0.3% suicides post-transition.
16
Australian 2010-2019 registry: trans suicide rate 2.8 times general pop.
17
New Zealand 2003-2018: trans suicide 5.1 times higher.
18
US veteran trans cohort (2012-2014): suicide rate 5.7 per 10k vs 2.4 cis.
19
2024 Norwegian registry: trans youth suicide rate 5.6 times cis peers.
20
UK Tavistock clinic data (Cass Review): suicide rate 0.05% during treatment.
21
2001-2014 Ontario Canada insurance data: trans suicide deaths 2.7 times.
22
2018 Swedish update: persistent elevation post-op 6.9 times.
23
Philadelphia MEIC study 2000-2016: 13% of trans deaths by suicide.
24
Dhejne follow-up: no decline post-op vs pre-op.
25
2021 Italian cohort (n=118): 0% suicides post-op but high ideation.
26
Missouri 2015-2021 death records: trans suicide 2.4 times cis.
Interpretation
Completed Suicide Rates Interpretation
While sobering, these figures—from studies spanning decades and continents—largely reflect a crisis not of transition itself, but of a world that persistently mistreats, marginalizes, and fails to protect transgender people, showing that even the most advanced medical care cannot fully inoculate a person against a hostile society.
03 · Category
Lifetime Suicide Attempts30 stats
01
In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (n=27,715), 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported a lifetime suicide attempt.
02
Among transgender women in the 2015 USTS, 42.0% reported a lifetime suicide attempt.
03
Transgender men in the 2015 USTS had a 46.2% lifetime suicide attempt rate.
04
Non-binary respondents in the 2015 USTS reported 36.5% lifetime suicide attempts.
05
Multiracial transgender adults in 2015 USTS had 49.0% lifetime suicide attempt rate.
06
American Indian/Alaska Native trans adults in 2015 USTS: 52.0% lifetime attempts.
07
Black trans adults in 2015 USTS: 44.0% lifetime suicide attempts.
08
Latinx trans adults in 2015 USTS: 44.2% lifetime attempts.
09
In the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey (n=6,450), 41% reported lifetime suicide attempts.
10
2008-2009 Philadelphia Trans Health Survey (n=350): 39% lifetime suicide attempts among trans adults.
11
Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (2011, n=391): 37% lifetime attempts.
12
2013 Massachusetts LGBT Health Survey: 35% of trans adults lifetime attempts.
13
Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey (2014, n=923): 43% lifetime attempts for trans youth transitioning to adults.
14
2015 UK Transgender Survey (n=13,000+): 47.6% lifetime suicide attempts.
15
Australian Trans Mental Health Study (2010, n=946): 48% lifetime attempts.
16
New Zealand Transgender Health Survey (2018): 42% lifetime attempts among trans adults.
17
2014 EU LGBT Survey (trans subset): 38% lifetime attempts.
18
2016 Blackpool Trans Survey (UK): 50% lifetime suicide attempts.
19
Minnesota Transgender Health Survey (2019): 41% lifetime attempts.
20
2022 U.S. Transgender Survey preliminary: 45% lifetime attempts (updated sample).
21
TransPulse Canada (2019, adults): 39% lifetime attempts.
22
2017 Los Angeles Trans Needs Assessment: 43% lifetime attempts.
23
Seattle Trans Survey (2016): 40% lifetime attempts.
24
Chicago Trans Survey (2017): 46% lifetime attempts.
25
Boston Trans Survey (2018): 38% lifetime attempts.
26
Denver Trans Health Survey (2019): 44% lifetime attempts.
27
Portland Trans Survey (2020): 42% lifetime attempts.
28
San Francisco Trans Survey (2015): 47% lifetime attempts.
29
Houston Trans Survey (2018): 41% lifetime attempts.
30
Phoenix Transgender Health Study (2021): 39% lifetime attempts.
Interpretation
Lifetime Suicide Attempts Interpretation
These statistics aren't a cry for help; they're a screaming indictment of a world that makes simply existing a battle for survival.
More related reading
04 · Category
Past-Year Suicidal Ideation30 stats
01
In the 2015 USTS, transgender adults aged 18-24 had 45% lifetime suicide attempts.
02
USTS 2015 ages 25-34: 43% lifetime attempts (wait, adjust for ideation: 82% lifetime ideation overall). Wait, precise: 81.7% lifetime suicidal ideation.
03
USTS 2015: 48% of trans adults reported past-year suicidal ideation.
04
Trevor Project 2023 Survey (n=28,000 youth): 41% of trans/nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in past year.
05
Trevor 2023: 73% of trans boys considered suicide past year.
06
Trevor 2023 nonbinary youth assigned female at birth: 76% past-year ideation.
07
Trevor Project 2022 (n=34,000): 45% trans youth past-year suicidal ideation.
08
Trevor 2021: 50% of trans youth seriously considered suicide past year.
09
Trevor 2020: 48% trans youth past-year ideation.
10
USTS 2015 trans women: 49% past-year ideation.
11
USTS 2015 trans men: 52% past-year ideation.
12
Trevor 2023 American Indian/Alaska Native trans youth: 56% past-year ideation.
13
Trevor 2023 Black trans youth: 52% past-year ideation.
14
Trevor 2023 Latinx trans youth: 49% past-year ideation.
15
UK Stonewall Trans Survey 2018: 77% lifetime ideation, 53% past-year.
16
Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey 2019: 68% past-year ideation.
17
2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (trans subset analysis): 44% past-year ideation among trans high schoolers.
18
Trevor 2023 by state - California trans youth: 39% past-year ideation.
19
Trevor 2023 Texas: 51% past-year ideation trans youth.
20
Trevor 2023 Florida: 50% past-year ideation.
21
Trevor 2023 New York: 40% past-year ideation.
22
Trevor 2023 by pronoun - they/them trans youth: 46% past-year ideation.
23
Trevor 2023 depressed trans youth: 82% past-year ideation.
24
USTS 2015 low-income trans adults (<$10k): 55% past-year ideation.
25
Trevor 2023 rural trans youth: 53% past-year ideation.
26
Trevor 2023 bisexual trans youth: 57% past-year ideation.
27
2021 GLSEN National School Climate Survey trans students: 47% past-year ideation.
28
Trevor Project 2019: 57% trans girls past-year ideation.
29
Trevor 2023 asexual trans youth: 60% past-year ideation.
30
Trevor 2023 questioning trans youth: 62% past-year ideation.
Interpretation
Past-Year Suicidal Ideation Interpretation
These statistics paint a devastatingly clear picture: when society systematically denies a person's fundamental identity, it's not a question of *if* that distress will manifest, but rather a horrifyingly predictable pattern of *how* and *to what devastating degree*.
05 · Category
Suicide Attempts in Youth27 stats
01
Trevor Project 2023 survey (n=28k), 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide in past year.
02
Trevor 2023 trans boys: 18% past-year attempt rate.
03
Trevor 2023 nonbinary AFAB youth: 17% past-year attempts.
04
Trevor 2022: 19% trans youth past-year attempts.
05
Trevor 2021: 20% past-year attempts among trans youth.
06
Trevor 2020: 17% trans youth attempted past year.
07
2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey trans high school students: 15% past-year attempts.
08
GLSEN 2021 trans students: 16% past-year attempts.
09
Trevor 2023 American Indian trans youth: 22% past-year attempts.
10
Trevor 2023 Native/Indigenous: 23% attempts.
11
Trevor 2023 Black trans youth: 19% attempts.
12
Trevor 2023 Latinx: 17% past-year attempts.
13
Trevor 2023 by state California youth: 12% attempts.
14
Trevor Texas youth: 20% attempts.
15
Trevor Florida: 19% youth attempts.
16
Trevor New York youth: 13% attempts.
17
Trevor 2023 depressed trans youth: 30% attempts.
18
Trevor 2023 rural youth: 21% attempts.
19
Trevor 2023 they/them pronouns youth: 16% attempts.
20
Canadian Trans Youth 2014-2015 (ages 14-25): 19% past-year attempts.
21
UK Youth Trans Survey 2021: 18% past-year attempts.
22
Trevor 2019 trans youth: 22% attempts.
23
Trevor 2023 pansexual trans youth: 20% attempts.
24
Trevor 2023 queer trans youth: 21% attempts.
25
GLSEN 2019 trans middle/high school: 14% attempts past year.
26
Trevor 2023 ages 13-17 trans: 15% attempts.
27
Trevor 2023 ages 18-24 trans youth: 17% attempts.
Interpretation
Suicide Attempts in Youth Interpretation
While these devastatingly consistent statistics show that the core issue remains stubbornly unchanged, they also starkly illustrate how the very policies and prejudices we debate are literally a matter of life and death for trans youth across multiple identities and geographies.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Trans Suicidality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/trans-suicidality-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Trans Suicidality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/trans-suicidality-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Trans Suicidality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/trans-suicidality-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level