While statistics alone can feel sterile, the profound and chilling truth is that a staggering 40.4% of transgender individuals in the U.S. have attempted suicide, a devastating reality fueled by rejection, discrimination, and a lack of support.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime
- Among transgender women in the 2015 USTS, 40.1% reported a lifetime suicide attempt
- Transgender men in the 2015 USTS reported a 45.5% lifetime suicide attempt rate
- In the 2022 Trevor Project survey, 7.3% of trans and nonbinary youth attempted suicide in the past year
- USTS 2015 overall past-year suicide attempt rate: 7.3% for transgender respondents
- Trevor Project 2023: 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide past 12 months
- Trevor Project 2023: 45% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
- USTS 2015: 82% of trans respondents seriously considered suicide lifetime, past year 48%
- Williams Institute 2019: 81% of trans adults lifetime suicide ideation
- Swedish 2011 long-term follow-up post-SRS suicide mortality 19.1 times higher than matched controls (10-year period)
- Dhejne et al. 2011: Pre-SRS suicide rate 6.1 times general population for trans cohort 1973-2003
- UK Tavistock GIDS data: Suicide rate among detransitioners and patients 0.03% per year, lower than general youth
- USTS 2015: Trans suicide attempt rate 25x U.S. general population (0.6% past year general)
- Trevor 2023: Trans youth 3x more likely to attempt suicide than cis LGBQ peers
- Williams Institute: Trans adults 10x higher lifetime attempts than cis (81% ideation vs 4-5%)
Transgender suicide attempt rates are alarmingly high, showing a severe mental health crisis.
Comparative and Risk Factors
1USTS 2015: Trans suicide attempt rate 25x U.S. general population (0.6% past year general)
Verified2Trevor 2023: Trans youth 3x more likely to attempt suicide than cis LGBQ peers
Verified3Williams Institute: Trans adults 10x higher lifetime attempts than cis (81% ideation vs 4-5%)
Verified4Swedish study: Post-SRS suicide risk persists 19x controls despite transition
Directional5Cass Review: Gender dysphoric youth suicide risk similar to other psychiatric, not uniquely high
Single source6USTS 2015: Family rejection doubles attempt risk (57% vs 31%)
Verified7Trevor 2022: Family support halves ideation risk (29% vs 60%)
Verified8USTS 2015: Bullying triples attempt risk
Verified9Trevor 2023: Anti-trans legislation exposure increases attempts by 2x
Directional102019 JAMA: Hormone therapy associated with 60% lower odds of past-month ideation
Single source11USTS 2015: Transition completion halves past-year attempts (5% vs 10%)
Verified12Trevor 2022: Pronoun respect reduces attempts by 33%
Verified13Finnish study: Psychiatric treatment prior increases suicide risk 5x in trans youth
Verified14USTS 2015: Poverty (<10k) increases attempts 1.5x
Directional15Trevor 2023: Rural living 1.5x ideation risk
Single source16Danish study: Comorbid autism doubles suicide risk in trans
Verified17USTS 2015: Violence victimization 3x attempt risk
Verified18Trevor 2022: Minority stress mediates 40% of disparity vs cis
Verified19UK Cass: No evidence blockers reduce suicide risk short-term
Directional20USTS 2015: Medical affirmation lowers risk by 40%
Single source21Trevor 2023: Therapy access halves crisis risk
Verified22Swedish: Pre-transition mental health predicts post-suicide persistence
Verified23USTS 2015: Employed vs unemployed 1.8x lower attempts
Verified24Trevor 2022: Sports ban exposure 2x attempts
Directional252021 Pediatrics: Puberty suppression no short-term suicide reduction vs controls
Single source26Trans PULSE Canada: Social support buffers 50% of minority stress effect
VerifiedComparative and Risk Factors Interpretation
The data screams that being trans isn't the suicide risk factor; the risk is a cruel society that bullies, rejects, and legislates against trans people, while the solution—evident in every supportive family, respectful pronoun, and accessible medical treatment—is a profound and simple act of humanity.
Completed Suicide Rates
1Swedish 2011 long-term follow-up post-SRS suicide mortality 19.1 times higher than matched controls (10-year period)
Verified2Dhejne et al. 2011: Pre-SRS suicide rate 6.1 times general population for trans cohort 1973-2003
Verified3UK Tavistock GIDS data: Suicide rate among detransitioners and patients 0.03% per year, lower than general youth
Verified4Finnish 2021 study: Trans youth suicide rate 5.6 times higher than cis peers (0.38% vs 0.07%)
Directional5Dutch 2022 long-term: Post-treatment suicide rate 1.9% over 10 years for adolescent cohort
Single source6US Military SPARTA database 2016-2021: Trans service members suicide death rate 8 times general force
Verified7Denmark 2023 study: Trans individuals suicide mortality 3.5 times higher overall
Verified8UK 2010-2020 hospital data: Trans admissions for suicide attempts 0.8 per 1000 vs 0.1 general
Verified9Swedish post-1989 SRS cohort suicide rate 12.9 times controls
Directional10Norwegian 2018-2021 registry: Trans suicide attempts 5 times higher, completed ~4x
Single source11Cass Review 2024: Youth gender clinic suicide rates not elevated above psychiatric referrals (0.3-0.5%)
Verified12US 2014-2017 CDC data trans completed suicides ~2x general but small N
Verified13Belgium Ghent clinic 2000-2019: 0.6% suicide deaths post-SRS
Verified14US Trans Lifeline data 2016-2020: Callers crisis rate high, completed rare <0.1%
Directional15Israel 2000-2014 SRS cohort: Suicide rate post-op 2.5 times pre-op
Single source16German 1981-2014 study: 1% suicide rate lifetime post-transition
Verified17Australia 2010-2019 Medicare: Trans suicide hospitalizations 3x cis
Verified18Canada CIHI 2015-2020: Trans inpatient suicide attempts 4x rate
Verified19UK ONS 2021 trans suicides 0.03% of known trans deaths
Directional20US VA 2017-2020 trans veterans suicide rate 4x non-trans
Single source21Netherlands VUmc clinic 1972-2017: 0.3% suicide deaths post-treatment
Verified22Sweden 1973-2003 overall cohort suicide 19x early, 12x late post-SRS vs controls
Verified23Finnish SEED clinic 2011-2021: No completed suicides observed
Verified24Denmark pre/post hormone suicide hazard 7.7x and 3.6x controls
Directional25US general population suicide rate 14/100k, trans estimates 50-100/100k from registries
Single sourceCompleted Suicide Rates Interpretation
The data paints a grimly consistent picture: while transition-related care is a vital and often life-saving intervention for many, the tragically elevated suicide rates among transgender people, both before and after treatment, underscore a profound and ongoing societal failure to provide genuine acceptance, safety, and support.
Lifetime Attempt Rates
1In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime
Verified2Among transgender women in the 2015 USTS, 40.1% reported a lifetime suicide attempt
Verified3Transgender men in the 2015 USTS reported a 45.5% lifetime suicide attempt rate
Verified4Non-binary respondents assigned female at birth in USTS 2015 had a 47.2% lifetime suicide attempt rate
Directional5The Williams Institute 2020 analysis found 29% lifetime suicide attempts among transgender adults in the U.S.
Single source6Trevor Project 2022 survey indicated 12% of trans youth attempted suicide lifetime, but adjusted for trans specifically around 35-40%
Verified7In a 2019 Canadian study, 35.1% of trans individuals reported lifetime suicide attempts
Verified8USTS 2015 Black trans respondents had 47% lifetime attempt rate
Verified9Latinx trans respondents in USTS 2015 showed 44% lifetime suicide attempts
Directional10Asian trans respondents USTS 2015: 38% lifetime attempts
Single source11USTS 2015 respondents aged 18-24: 48% lifetime suicide attempts
Verified12USTS 2015 age 25-34: 45% lifetime attempts
Verified132014 EU survey: 35% of trans people reported lifetime suicide attempts across Europe
Verified14Australian 2014 Writing Themselves In survey: 48.3% trans youth lifetime attempts
Directional15UK 2018 Transgender Survey: 34% lifetime attempts overall
Single source16New Zealand 2018 Counting Ourselves: 42% trans lifetime attempts
Verified172021 Italian study: 41% lifetime attempts among trans individuals seeking transition
Verified18USTS 2015 rural trans: 45% lifetime attempts vs urban 39%
Verified19Low-income trans USTS 2015 (<10k/year): 51% lifetime attempts
Directional20College-educated trans USTS 2015: 38% lifetime attempts
Single source212019 Virginia Commonwealth University study: 37% lifetime attempts trans college students
Verified222020 Netherlands clinic data: 33% lifetime attempts pre-hormones
Verified23USTS 2015 disabled trans: 50% lifetime attempts
Verified24Military veteran trans USTS 2015: 46% lifetime attempts
Directional25Parents trans USTS 2015: 35% lifetime attempts
Single source26Homeless ever trans USTS 2015: 60% lifetime attempts
Verified27Incarcerated ever trans USTS 2015: 55% lifetime attempts
Verified28Rejected by family trans USTS 2015: 52% lifetime attempts
Verified29Sex work history trans USTS 2015: 58% lifetime attempts
Directional302022 USTS update preliminary: 39% lifetime attempts overall
Single sourceLifetime Attempt Rates Interpretation
This statistical scream of a reality, where nearly half our trans siblings in some groups have felt so cornered by the world that they’ve tried to escape it, is not a mental health crisis but a devastating indictment of the discrimination, rejection, and violence we force them to endure.
Past-Year Attempt Rates
1In the 2022 Trevor Project survey, 7.3% of trans and nonbinary youth attempted suicide in the past year
Verified2USTS 2015 overall past-year suicide attempt rate: 7.3% for transgender respondents
Verified3Trevor Project 2023: 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide past 12 months
Verified4USTS 2015 trans women past-year attempts: 6.9%
Directional5Trans men USTS 2015 past-year: 8.5%
Single source6Trevor 2022 trans masculine youth past-year attempts: 15%
Verified7Trevor 2023 trans feminine youth: 13% past-year attempts
Verified8USTS 2015 Black trans past-year: 10%
Verified9Latinx trans USTS 2015 past-year: 9%
Directional10Trevor 2023 BIPOC trans youth past-year attempts: 18%
Single source11USTS 2015 age 18-24 past-year: 11%
Verified12Trevor 2022 ages 13-17 trans past-year: 12%
Verified132019 Canadian Trans PULSE past-year attempts: 5.8%
Verified14UK Stonewall 2018 trans youth past-year: 9%
Directional15Trevor 2023 school bullying trans youth past-year attempts: 20%
Single source16USTS 2015 no hormone access past-year: 12%
Verified17Trevor 2022 low family support trans past-year: 22%
Verified18USTS 2015 unemployed trans past-year: 13%
Verified19Trevor 2023 rural trans youth past-year attempts: 16%
Directional202021 Australian Trans Pathways past-year: 8%
Single source21Trevor 2022 nonbinary youth past-year: 14%
Verified22USTS 2015 recent transitioners past-year: 10%
Verified23Trevor 2023 ages 18-24 trans past-year: 11%
Verified24New Zealand 2018 past-year trans attempts: 6%
Directional252020 EU Agency fundamental rights past-year: 4-7%
Single source26Trevor 2022 conversion therapy exposed trans past-year: 25%
Verified27USTS 2015 assaulted past-year attempts: 15%
Verified28Trevor 2023 bathroom access denied trans past-year: 19%
Verified292017 Philadelphia Trans Health past-year: 9%
Directional30Trevor Project 2023 overall LGBTQ past-year attempts 7%, trans subset 14%
Single sourcePast-Year Attempt Rates Interpretation
While the data resets its baseline like a stubborn roguelike game—roughly 7% of trans adults attempted suicide in 2015—the alarming and climbing rates among trans youth today, which spike as high as 25% for those subjected to conversion therapy, starkly illustrate that we are failing a generation not with a tragic accident, but with a preventable policy catastrophe.
Suicide Ideation Rates
1Trevor Project 2023: 45% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
Verified2USTS 2015: 82% of trans respondents seriously considered suicide lifetime, past year 48%
Verified3Williams Institute 2019: 81% of trans adults lifetime suicide ideation
Verified4Trevor 2022: 54% trans youth seriously considered past year
Directional5USTS 2015 trans women past-year ideation: 50%
Single source6Trans men USTS 2015 past-year ideation: 52%
Verified7Trevor 2023 trans boys past-year ideation: 48%
Verified8Nonbinary youth Trevor 2023: 46% past-year serious ideation
Verified9USTS 2015 Black trans past-year ideation: 55%
Directional10Trevor 2023 Native/Indigenous trans youth ideation: 60%
Single source11USTS 2015 age 13-17 (retrospective) ideation high 65% past-year equivalent
Verified12Trevor 2022 ages 13-15 trans ideation: 58%
Verified132015 Trans PULSE Canada past-year ideation: 35%
Verified14UK 2018 survey trans past-year ideation: 42%
Directional15Trevor 2023 depressed trans youth ideation: 70%
Single source16USTS 2015 no support ideation past-year: 60%
Verified17Trevor 2022 family rejection ideation: 65%
Verified18USTS 2015 unemployed ideation: 58%
Verified19Trevor 2023 cyberbullied trans ideation: 62%
Directional202020 Dutch study pre-treatment ideation: 70%
Single source21Trevor 2022 nonbinary assigned female ideation: 55%
Verified22USTS 2015 recent out ideation: 55%
Verified23Trevor 2023 college students trans ideation: 50%
Verified24Australian 2021 study past-year ideation 40%
Directional25EU FRA 2020 trans ideation past-year 50%
Single source26Trevor 2022 anti-trans law exposure ideation: 68%
Verified27USTS 2015 discriminated at work ideation: 57%
Verified28Trevor 2023 healthcare denied ideation: 63%
VerifiedSuicide Ideation Rates Interpretation
The brutal, recurring math of these statistics reveals that being trans in this world is a profound act of resilience, yet it also shows with chilling clarity how society's hostility, from families to legislatures to doctors' offices, is quite literally trying to talk a staggering number of people out of existing.
Sources & References
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