LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines ‘fear we will lose children to suicide’ after post-election spike in calls

Fears have been expressed about the possibility of a rise in suicide rates amongst young people following the 2024 election, after calls to LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines surged.

Since Donald Trump won back the White House, LGBTQ+ youngsters have expressed deep fear and anxiety about what the next four years could hold.

President-elect Trump inflicted a crushing defeat on his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris on Tuesday (5 November) after pundits had been saying for weeks that the election was too close to call.

He won six of the seven battleground states, with one still to declare, while the Republicans regained control of the senate and need just three more seats to retain their grip on the house of representatives.

Trump’s campaign was filled with divisive rhetoric and took aim at minority groups, particularly Haitian migrants who were falsely accused of eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Millions of dollars were spent on of anti-queer ads which framed trans people and drag queens as a national threat. There were claims teachers were performing complex gender-affirming surgeries during the school day and Trump promised to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports.

Also, his previous time in office demonstrates that Trump doesn’t have the best record on LGBTQ+ rights. Little surprise then that LGBTQ+ organisations and hotlines have been dealing with many more calls than usual from worried youngsters.

Trevor Project receives 125% more calls

The Rainbow Youth Project told The Washington Post that in the first six days of this month it had already spoken to 3,810 people, well ahead of its usual monthly average of 3,765.

LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention organisation The Trevor Project reported receiving 125 per cent more calls, texts and chat messages on election day (5 November) and the day after than average, having previously said it fielded about 200 per cent more in the run-up to the polls opening.

Rainbow Youth Project executive director Lance Preston said the group was “receiving these calls out of fear. Fear that we will lose our children to suicide and fear of the challenges this new administration will set for us.”

‘Your life matters and you were born to live it’

Meanwhile, Jaymes Black, the chief executive of The Trevor Project, said: “I know many young people may be questioning what this election means for their futures, wondering if the outcome changes their ability to live openly, to live authentically, to live fully.

“In moments like these, I want every LGBTQ+ young person, and every person who cares about them, to know one thing: The Trevor Project is here for you, no matter the outcome of any election.

“I want to say with all my heart, your life matters and you were born to live it. Trevor will always be here to support you, to listen and to offer the care you deserve. Our commitment to LGBTQ+ youth has always been about people, not politics.

“That will never change. We’ll continue to work with leaders from all political backgrounds who share our mission of ending LGBTQ+ youth suicide, and I am heartened that our work consistently receives strong bipartisan support.

“We believe that creating safe, affirming environments for LGBTQ+ young people is above politics. It’s about ensuring every young person feels valued, respected and seen.”

A 2011 study, titled “The Politics of Hope and Despair: The Effect of Presidential Election Outcomes on Suicide Rates,” found that “supporting the defeated candidate results in a negative utility shock, which would tend to increase the suicide rate in states that supported the losing candidate.” However, it didn’t take into account the additional traumatic effects of a potential loss of civil rights caused by the election result.

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