Calls to LGBT youth support lines surge following shock Trump election victory
By Will Stroude
Donald Trump’s election has been considered a significant set back for the LGBT+ community, despite a surprisingly high proportion of LGBT+ people voting for him, with threats to equal marriage, anti-discrimination laws, and HIV and trans healthcare all made during the President-elect’s campaign.
Since his victory at the polls yesterday (November 9), calls to LGBT-focused hotlines have reportedly surged.
Speaking to MIC, Steve Mendelsohn, deputy executive director of LGBT+ crisis hotline The Trevor Project described an atmosphere of “fear” among LGBT+ youth: “Young people have been reaching out more and more since the election,” he explained. “They’re very anxious and frightened. They have a fear that the gains we’ve made over the past few years could be undone.”
Meanwhile, Trans Lifeline reported receiving a “record-breaking” 300 calls in the 24 hours following the election. In a Facebook post, they wrote: “We talked to 97 people last night, and we’re doing everything we can to support.”
Reports also suggest that a number of trans youth have taken their own lives in the wake of Trump’s shock election victory. According to Mic, there have been “anywhere from two to eight confirmed suicides” of transgender teenagers.
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