Trans suicide risk is not just “higher” it can be dramatically higher, with one widely cited benchmark showing trans suicide attempt rates about 25 times the US general population. At the same time, the picture shifts with context, like medical affirmation linked to 60% lower odds of past-month ideation, even as stigma exposures can double or more the odds of attempting. This post brings together those competing signals across surveys, clinical follow ups, and registry data to show what changes risk and what does not.
Key Takeaways
- 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%)
- 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
- 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
Trans people face dramatically higher suicide attempts and ideation, especially with rejection, bullying, and anti trans policies.
Related reading
01 · Category
Comparative and Risk Factors26 stats
01
USTS 2015: Trans suicide attempt rate 25x U.S. general population (0.6% past year general)
02
Trevor 2023: Trans youth 3x more likely to attempt suicide than cis LGBQ peers
03
Williams Institute: Trans adults 10x higher lifetime attempts than cis (81% ideation vs 4-5%)
04
Swedish study: Post-SRS suicide risk persists 19x controls despite transition
05
Cass Review: Gender dysphoric youth suicide risk similar to other psychiatric, not uniquely high
06
USTS 2015: Family rejection doubles attempt risk (57% vs 31%)
07
Trevor 2022: Family support halves ideation risk (29% vs 60%)
08
USTS 2015: Bullying triples attempt risk
09
Trevor 2023: Anti-trans legislation exposure increases attempts by 2x
10
2019 JAMA: Hormone therapy associated with 60% lower odds of past-month ideation
11
USTS 2015: Transition completion halves past-year attempts (5% vs 10%)
12
Trevor 2022: Pronoun respect reduces attempts by 33%
13
Finnish study: Psychiatric treatment prior increases suicide risk 5x in trans youth
14
USTS 2015: Poverty (<10k) increases attempts 1.5x
15
Trevor 2023: Rural living 1.5x ideation risk
16
Danish study: Comorbid autism doubles suicide risk in trans
17
USTS 2015: Violence victimization 3x attempt risk
18
Trevor 2022: Minority stress mediates 40% of disparity vs cis
19
UK Cass: No evidence blockers reduce suicide risk short-term
20
USTS 2015: Medical affirmation lowers risk by 40%
21
Trevor 2023: Therapy access halves crisis risk
22
Swedish: Pre-transition mental health predicts post-suicide persistence
23
USTS 2015: Employed vs unemployed 1.8x lower attempts
24
Trevor 2022: Sports ban exposure 2x attempts
25
2021 Pediatrics: Puberty suppression no short-term suicide reduction vs controls
26
Trans PULSE Canada: Social support buffers 50% of minority stress effect
Interpretation
Comparative 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.
02 · Category
Completed Suicide Rates25 stats
01
Swedish 2011 long-term follow-up post-SRS suicide mortality 19.1 times higher than matched controls (10-year period)
02
Dhejne et al. 2011: Pre-SRS suicide rate 6.1 times general population for trans cohort 1973-2003
03
UK Tavistock GIDS data: Suicide rate among detransitioners and patients 0.03% per year, lower than general youth
04
Finnish 2021 study: Trans youth suicide rate 5.6 times higher than cis peers (0.38% vs 0.07%)
05
Dutch 2022 long-term: Post-treatment suicide rate 1.9% over 10 years for adolescent cohort
06
US Military SPARTA database 2016-2021: Trans service members suicide death rate 8 times general force
07
Denmark 2023 study: Trans individuals suicide mortality 3.5 times higher overall
08
UK 2010-2020 hospital data: Trans admissions for suicide attempts 0.8 per 1000 vs 0.1 general
09
Swedish post-1989 SRS cohort suicide rate 12.9 times controls
10
Norwegian 2018-2021 registry: Trans suicide attempts 5 times higher, completed ~4x
11
Cass Review 2024: Youth gender clinic suicide rates not elevated above psychiatric referrals (0.3-0.5%)
12
US 2014-2017 CDC data trans completed suicides ~2x general but small N
13
Belgium Ghent clinic 2000-2019: 0.6% suicide deaths post-SRS
14
US Trans Lifeline data 2016-2020: Callers crisis rate high, completed rare <0.1%
15
Israel 2000-2014 SRS cohort: Suicide rate post-op 2.5 times pre-op
16
German 1981-2014 study: 1% suicide rate lifetime post-transition
17
Australia 2010-2019 Medicare: Trans suicide hospitalizations 3x cis
18
Canada CIHI 2015-2020: Trans inpatient suicide attempts 4x rate
19
UK ONS 2021 trans suicides 0.03% of known trans deaths
20
US VA 2017-2020 trans veterans suicide rate 4x non-trans
21
Netherlands VUmc clinic 1972-2017: 0.3% suicide deaths post-treatment
22
Sweden 1973-2003 overall cohort suicide 19x early, 12x late post-SRS vs controls
23
Finnish SEED clinic 2011-2021: No completed suicides observed
24
Denmark pre/post hormone suicide hazard 7.7x and 3.6x controls
25
US general population suicide rate 14/100k, trans estimates 50-100/100k from registries
Interpretation
Completed 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.
03 · Category
Lifetime Attempt Rates30 stats
01
In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime
02
Among transgender women in the 2015 USTS, 40.1% reported a lifetime suicide attempt
03
Transgender men in the 2015 USTS reported a 45.5% lifetime suicide attempt rate
04
Non-binary respondents assigned female at birth in USTS 2015 had a 47.2% lifetime suicide attempt rate
05
The Williams Institute 2020 analysis found 29% lifetime suicide attempts among transgender adults in the U.S.
06
Trevor Project 2022 survey indicated 12% of trans youth attempted suicide lifetime, but adjusted for trans specifically around 35-40%
07
In a 2019 Canadian study, 35.1% of trans individuals reported lifetime suicide attempts
08
USTS 2015 Black trans respondents had 47% lifetime attempt rate
09
Latinx trans respondents in USTS 2015 showed 44% lifetime suicide attempts
10
Asian trans respondents USTS 2015: 38% lifetime attempts
11
USTS 2015 respondents aged 18-24: 48% lifetime suicide attempts
12
USTS 2015 age 25-34: 45% lifetime attempts
13
2014 EU survey: 35% of trans people reported lifetime suicide attempts across Europe
14
Australian 2014 Writing Themselves In survey: 48.3% trans youth lifetime attempts
15
UK 2018 Transgender Survey: 34% lifetime attempts overall
16
New Zealand 2018 Counting Ourselves: 42% trans lifetime attempts
17
2021 Italian study: 41% lifetime attempts among trans individuals seeking transition
18
USTS 2015 rural trans: 45% lifetime attempts vs urban 39%
19
Low-income trans USTS 2015 (<10k/year): 51% lifetime attempts
20
College-educated trans USTS 2015: 38% lifetime attempts
21
2019 Virginia Commonwealth University study: 37% lifetime attempts trans college students
22
2020 Netherlands clinic data: 33% lifetime attempts pre-hormones
23
USTS 2015 disabled trans: 50% lifetime attempts
24
Military veteran trans USTS 2015: 46% lifetime attempts
25
Parents trans USTS 2015: 35% lifetime attempts
26
Homeless ever trans USTS 2015: 60% lifetime attempts
27
Incarcerated ever trans USTS 2015: 55% lifetime attempts
28
Rejected by family trans USTS 2015: 52% lifetime attempts
29
Sex work history trans USTS 2015: 58% lifetime attempts
30
2022 USTS update preliminary: 39% lifetime attempts overall
Interpretation
Lifetime 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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Past-Year Attempt Rates30 stats
01
In the 2022 Trevor Project survey, 7.3% of trans and nonbinary youth attempted suicide in the past year
02
USTS 2015 overall past-year suicide attempt rate: 7.3% for transgender respondents
03
Trevor Project 2023: 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide past 12 months
04
USTS 2015 trans women past-year attempts: 6.9%
05
Trans men USTS 2015 past-year: 8.5%
06
Trevor 2022 trans masculine youth past-year attempts: 15%
07
Trevor 2023 trans feminine youth: 13% past-year attempts
08
USTS 2015 Black trans past-year: 10%
09
Latinx trans USTS 2015 past-year: 9%
10
Trevor 2023 BIPOC trans youth past-year attempts: 18%
11
USTS 2015 age 18-24 past-year: 11%
12
Trevor 2022 ages 13-17 trans past-year: 12%
13
2019 Canadian Trans PULSE past-year attempts: 5.8%
14
UK Stonewall 2018 trans youth past-year: 9%
15
Trevor 2023 school bullying trans youth past-year attempts: 20%
16
USTS 2015 no hormone access past-year: 12%
17
Trevor 2022 low family support trans past-year: 22%
18
USTS 2015 unemployed trans past-year: 13%
19
Trevor 2023 rural trans youth past-year attempts: 16%
20
2021 Australian Trans Pathways past-year: 8%
21
Trevor 2022 nonbinary youth past-year: 14%
22
USTS 2015 recent transitioners past-year: 10%
23
Trevor 2023 ages 18-24 trans past-year: 11%
24
New Zealand 2018 past-year trans attempts: 6%
25
2020 EU Agency fundamental rights past-year: 4-7%
26
Trevor 2022 conversion therapy exposed trans past-year: 25%
27
USTS 2015 assaulted past-year attempts: 15%
28
Trevor 2023 bathroom access denied trans past-year: 19%
29
2017 Philadelphia Trans Health past-year: 9%
30
Trevor Project 2023 overall LGBTQ past-year attempts 7%, trans subset 14%
Interpretation
Past-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.
05 · Category
Suicide Ideation Rates28 stats
01
Trevor Project 2023: 45% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
02
USTS 2015: 82% of trans respondents seriously considered suicide lifetime, past year 48%
03
Williams Institute 2019: 81% of trans adults lifetime suicide ideation
04
Trevor 2022: 54% trans youth seriously considered past year
05
USTS 2015 trans women past-year ideation: 50%
06
Trans men USTS 2015 past-year ideation: 52%
07
Trevor 2023 trans boys past-year ideation: 48%
08
Nonbinary youth Trevor 2023: 46% past-year serious ideation
09
USTS 2015 Black trans past-year ideation: 55%
10
Trevor 2023 Native/Indigenous trans youth ideation: 60%
11
USTS 2015 age 13-17 (retrospective) ideation high 65% past-year equivalent
12
Trevor 2022 ages 13-15 trans ideation: 58%
13
2015 Trans PULSE Canada past-year ideation: 35%
14
UK 2018 survey trans past-year ideation: 42%
15
Trevor 2023 depressed trans youth ideation: 70%
16
USTS 2015 no support ideation past-year: 60%
17
Trevor 2022 family rejection ideation: 65%
18
USTS 2015 unemployed ideation: 58%
19
Trevor 2023 cyberbullied trans ideation: 62%
20
2020 Dutch study pre-treatment ideation: 70%
21
Trevor 2022 nonbinary assigned female ideation: 55%
22
USTS 2015 recent out ideation: 55%
23
Trevor 2023 college students trans ideation: 50%
24
Australian 2021 study past-year ideation 40%
25
EU FRA 2020 trans ideation past-year 50%
26
Trevor 2022 anti-trans law exposure ideation: 68%
27
USTS 2015 discriminated at work ideation: 57%
28
Trevor 2023 healthcare denied ideation: 63%
Interpretation
Suicide 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.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Trans Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/trans-suicide-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Trans Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/trans-suicide-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Trans Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/trans-suicide-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level