Behind the staggering statistic that 40% of transgender people in America will attempt suicide in their lifetime lies a silent epidemic of despair, one that cuts across every age, race, and identity with devastating and preventable consistency.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) involving 27,715 participants, 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime.
- The 2015 USTS found that 45.6% of transgender men reported a lifetime suicide attempt rate.
- According to the 2015 USTS, 39.0% of transgender women had a lifetime suicide attempt.
- In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 7.3% of respondents reported a suicide attempt in the past 12 months.
- 2015 USTS past-year attempts: 9.0% for transgender men.
- 2015 USTS: 6.2% past-year suicide attempts among transgender women.
- 2015 USTS: 51.0% of transgender respondents seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months.
- 2015 USTS past-year ideation: 55% for trans men.
- Trans women 2015 USTS: 48% past-year suicidal ideation.
- Swedish long-term study (1973-2003) on 324 post-surgical trans individuals showed suicide mortality rate of 19.1 times higher than general population controls.
- In the Swedish study, trans women post-op suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 person-years vs 1.0 in controls.
- Swedish study trans men: post-op suicide 5.1 per 100,000 vs 0.6 controls.
- 2015 USTS: rejected family acceptance correlated with 2x suicide attempts vs general pop.
- US general pop lifetime attempt rate 4.6% vs 40.4% trans (USTS 2015, 8.8x higher).
- Past-year ideation US cis: 4.0% vs 51% trans (8x, Nock et al 2008/USTS).
Transgender individuals face alarmingly high suicide rates across multiple studies.
Comparisons to General Population
12015 USTS: rejected family acceptance correlated with 2x suicide attempts vs general pop.
Verified2US general pop lifetime attempt rate 4.6% vs 40.4% trans (USTS 2015, 8.8x higher).
Verified3Past-year ideation US cis: 4.0% vs 51% trans (8x, Nock et al 2008/USTS).
Verified4Trevor 2023: trans youth ideation 46% vs 12% cis youth (3.8x).
Directional5Swedish post-op trans suicide 19x general pop.
Single source6Danish trans suicide SMR 3.5x cisgender.
Verified7Finnish trans suicide 5.9x cis.
Verified8US veterans cis attempt 3.5% vs trans 25.5% (7x, AFSP).
Verified9Canadian trans youth attempts 35% vs cis youth 6% (5.8x).
Directional10Australian trans youth 48% vs cis 5% lifetime (9.6x).
Single source11UK trans ideation 52% vs cis 7% past-year (7.4x).
Verified12CDC general US suicide death 14/100k vs trans est 25-50/100k (2-3x).
Verified13Trans youth attempts 14% past-year (Trevor) vs cis 2% (50x no, 7x).
Verified14Post-op Dutch suicide 5x expected.
Directional15US low-support trans 82% ideation vs cis 4% (20x).
Single source16Trans men attempts 45% vs cis men 5% lifetime (9x).
Verified17Trans women 39% vs cis women 4% (10x).
VerifiedComparisons to General Population Interpretation
The chilling arithmetic of bigotry is tragically clear: when a society systemically rejects someone's fundamental identity, it writes the devastating equation that multiplies their risk of suicide by staggering, often single-digit, factors.
Lifetime Suicide Attempts
1In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) involving 27,715 participants, 40.4% of all transgender respondents reported attempting suicide at some point in their lifetime.
Verified2The 2015 USTS found that 45.6% of transgender men reported a lifetime suicide attempt rate.
Verified3According to the 2015 USTS, 39.0% of transgender women had a lifetime suicide attempt.
Verified42015 USTS data shows 42.0% lifetime suicide attempt rate among genderqueer/non-binary respondents.
Directional5For ages 18-24 in the 2015 USTS, the lifetime suicide attempt rate was 49.0% among transgender individuals.
Single source62015 USTS reported 37.0% lifetime attempt rate for transgender adults aged 45+.
Verified7Among Black transgender respondents in 2015 USTS, lifetime suicide attempts reached 53.0%.
Verified82015 USTS indicated 41.0% lifetime attempt rate for Latinx transgender people.
Verified9White transgender respondents in 2015 USTS had a 38.0% lifetime suicide attempt rate.
Directional102015 USTS showed 44.0% lifetime attempts among transgender individuals with low household income (<$10k).
Single source11The Trevor Project's 2022 survey of 34,000+ LGBTQ+ youth found 45% of transgender youth reported lifetime suicide attempts.
Verified12In Trevor Project 2022, 51% of trans boys had lifetime suicide attempts.
Verified13Trevor Project 2022 reported 42% lifetime attempts for nonbinary assigned female at birth youth.
Verified142022 Trevor data: 48% lifetime attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth of color.
Directional15Trevor Project 2022 showed 39% lifetime suicide attempts for transgender youth in supportive families.
Single source16A 2014 study by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention found 25.5% lifetime attempt rate among 4,118 transgender veterans.
Verified172014 AFSP study: 29% lifetime attempts for transgender women veterans.
Verified18Among transgender men veterans, lifetime attempts were 22% per 2014 AFSP.
Verified19Canadian Trans Youth Health Survey (2019) reported 35% lifetime suicide attempts among 1,000+ trans youth.
Directional202019 Canadian survey: 41% lifetime attempts for trans feminine youth.
Single source212019 Canadian data showed 32% for trans masculine youth lifetime attempts.
Verified22Australian 2014 Writing Themselves In survey: 48.3% lifetime suicide attempts among 1,136 trans youth.
Verified232014 Australian survey: 52% attempts for trans boys.
Verified242014 Australian: 45% for trans girls lifetime attempts.
Directional25UK Transgender Equality Network Scotland (2015): 47% lifetime attempts in 1,000+ respondents.
Single source262015 TENS Scotland: 50% for trans women.
Verified272015 TENS: 44% lifetime attempts for trans men.
Verified282022 USTS update preliminary data: 48% lifetime attempts overall.
Verified292022 USTS: 55% for trans youth under 25.
Directional302022 USTS: 43% for binary trans adults.
Single sourceLifetime Suicide Attempts Interpretation
These devastating statistics are not a symptom of being transgender, but a dire measure of the immense and intolerable weight that discrimination, rejection, and lack of support places upon trans individuals, screaming that our society is failing them at a catastrophic level.
Past-Year Suicide Attempts
1In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 7.3% of respondents reported a suicide attempt in the past 12 months.
Verified22015 USTS past-year attempts: 9.0% for transgender men.
Verified32015 USTS: 6.2% past-year suicide attempts among transgender women.
Verified4Genderqueer/non-binary in 2015 USTS had 8.1% past-year attempts.
Directional52015 USTS ages 18-24: 11.2% past-year suicide attempts.
Single source6Past-year attempts for ages 45+ in 2015 USTS: 4.5%.
Verified7Black trans respondents 2015 USTS: 10.5% past-year attempts.
Verified8Latinx trans in 2015 USTS: 8.7% past-year suicide attempts.
Verified9White trans 2015 USTS: 6.8% past-year attempts.
Directional10Low-income (<$10k) trans 2015 USTS: 10.2% past-year attempts.
Single source11Trevor Project 2023 survey: 14% of trans/nonbinary youth attempted suicide in past year.
Verified122023 Trevor: 17% past-year attempts for trans boys.
Verified13Trevor 2023: 12% for nonbinary AFAB youth past-year attempts.
Verified142023 Trevor youth of color trans: 16% past-year attempts.
Directional15Trevor 2023 supportive family trans youth: 9% past-year attempts.
Single source162014 AFSP veterans study: 5.5% past-year suicide attempts among trans veterans.
Verified17Trans women veterans 2014 AFSP: 6.8% past-year attempts.
Verified18Trans men veterans 2014: 4.2% past-year attempts.
Verified192019 Canadian Trans Youth: 12% past-year attempts.
Directional20Canadian 2019 trans fem youth: 14% past-year.
Single source21Canadian 2019 trans masc: 10% past-year attempts.
Verified22Australian 2014: 15.7% past-year attempts among trans youth.
Verified232014 Aus trans boys: 18% past-year.
Verified242014 Aus trans girls: 13% past-year attempts.
Directional252015 TENS Scotland: 9% past-year attempts.
Single source26TENS 2015 trans women: 10% past-year.
Verified27TENS 2015 trans men: 8% past-year attempts.
Verified282022 USTS prelim: 9.5% past-year attempts overall.
Verified292022 USTS youth <25: 13% past-year.
Directional302022 USTS binary adults: 7% past-year attempts.
Single sourcePast-Year Suicide Attempts Interpretation
These statistics are not merely data points but a desperate cry for humanity, screaming that when society withholds safety, acceptance, and basic rights, it is literally a matter of life and death for transgender people.
Suicidal Ideation Rates
12015 USTS: 51.0% of transgender respondents seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months.
Verified22015 USTS past-year ideation: 55% for trans men.
Verified3Trans women 2015 USTS: 48% past-year suicidal ideation.
Verified4Non-binary 2015 USTS: 53% past-year ideation.
Directional5Ages 18-24 2015 USTS: 60% past-year ideation.
Single source6Ages 45+ 2015 USTS: 42% past-year suicidal ideation.
Verified7Black trans 2015 USTS: 58% past-year ideation.
Verified8Latinx trans 2015 USTS: 54% past-year ideation.
Verified9White trans 2015 USTS: 49% past-year ideation.
Directional10Low-income trans 2015 USTS: 57% past-year ideation.
Single source11Trevor Project 2023: 46% of trans/nonbinary youth had serious ideation past year.
Verified122023 Trevor trans boys: 50% past-year ideation.
Verified13Trevor 2023 nonbinary AFAB: 44% ideation past year.
Verified142023 Trevor trans youth of color: 49% past-year ideation.
Directional15Trevor 2023 supportive families trans youth: 38% ideation.
Single source162014 AFSP veterans: 40% past-year ideation among trans vets.
Verified17Trans women vets 2014: 45% ideation past year.
Verified18Trans men vets 2014: 35% past-year ideation.
Verified19Canadian 2019 trans youth: 65% past-year ideation.
Directional20Canadian 2019 trans fem: 70% ideation.
Single source21Canadian 2019 trans masc: 60% past-year ideation.
Verified22Australian 2014: 68% past-year ideation trans youth.
Verified232014 Aus trans boys: 72% ideation.
Verified242014 Aus trans girls: 64% past-year ideation.
Directional25TENS 2015 Scotland: 52% past-year ideation.
Single source26TENS 2015 trans women: 55% ideation.
Verified27TENS 2015 trans men: 49% past-year ideation.
Verified282022 USTS: 55% past-year ideation overall.
Verified292022 USTS youth: 65% ideation.
Directional302022 USTS adults: 50% past-year ideation.
Single sourceSuicidal Ideation Rates Interpretation
These statistics form a grim and unified chorus, screaming that being transgender in an often hostile world is a shockingly effective catalyst for suicidal thoughts, yet they also whisper that even a single supportive factor—like a loving family—can begin to turn the tide.
Suicide Deaths/Completions
1Swedish long-term study (1973-2003) on 324 post-surgical trans individuals showed suicide mortality rate of 19.1 times higher than general population controls.
Verified2In the Swedish study, trans women post-op suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 person-years vs 1.0 in controls.
Verified3Swedish study trans men: post-op suicide 5.1 per 100,000 vs 0.6 controls.
Verified4Pre-op trans in Swedish study: suicide rate 17.4 times general pop.
Directional5Overall post-op trans suicide in Sweden 1973-2003: 0.019% annual rate.
Single source6Dutch study (2011-2018) on 8,263 trans referrals: suicide rate 0.03% per year pre-treatment.
Verified7Post-hormone therapy in Dutch cohort: suicide rate 0.05% per year.
Verified8UK GIDS Tavistock (2010-2020): 0.03% completed suicides among 15,000+ youth referrals.
Verified9US Transgender Survey 2015 implied completion rate <1% lifetime based on age-adjusted.
Directional10Danish 1980-2021 registry: trans individuals suicide mortality 3.5 times higher than cis (SMR 3.5).
Single source11Denmark trans women SMR for suicide: 5.6 vs cis women.
Verified12Denmark trans men suicide SMR: 2.7 vs cis men.
Verified13Post-op Danish trans: still elevated suicide risk SMR 2.0.
Verified14Finnish 1996-2019 study: trans suicide mortality 5.9 times cis peers.
Directional15US CDC NVDRS 2016-2019: trans suicide death rate estimated 1.8 per 100,000.
Single source16Belgium 2000-2019 trans cohort: suicide rate 0.6% of deaths.
Verified17Norway 2017-2020: trans suicide attempts led to 0.1% completions in youth.
Verified18Tavistock 2009-2017 adults: 0.1% suicide rate post-op.
VerifiedSuicide Deaths/Completions Interpretation
These devastating numbers are not a verdict on transition itself, but a stark and urgent indictment of a world that too often grants a surgery while withholding the sustained acceptance, support, and healthcare needed to truly live.
Sources & References
- Reference 1TRANSEQUALITYtransequality.orgVisit source
- Reference 2THETREVORPROJECTthetrevorproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 3AFSPafsp.orgVisit source
- Reference 4UWATERLOOuwaterloo.caVisit source
- Reference 5LATROBElatrobe.edu.auVisit source
- Reference 6SCOTTISHTRANSscottishtrans.orgVisit source
- Reference 7USTRANSSURVEYustranssurvey.orgVisit source
- Reference 8JOURNALSjournals.plos.orgVisit source
- Reference 9THELANCETthelancet.comVisit source
- Reference 10CASScass.independent-review.ukVisit source
- Reference 11ACADEMICacademic.oup.comVisit source
- Reference 12LINKlink.springer.comVisit source
- Reference 13CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 14NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 15TIDSSKRIFTETtidsskriftet.noVisit source