Here's how to save the lives of Black LGBTQ+ youth

"Right now, across the country, over 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills are being tracked - from bans on transgender healthcare to efforts to erase inclusive education in schools. These aren't just political talking points; they're policies that put lives at risk. A 2024 peer-reviewed study in Nature Human Behaviour from researchers at The Trevor Project found that anti-transgender state laws directly caused an increase in suicide attempts among transgender youth by up to 72%."

"Affirmation isn't a luxury; it's a matter of survival. For Black LGBTQ+ youth, living as their authentic selves can come with real risks: rejection, isolation, even violence. That's why possibility models matter. Seeing someone who shares your identity and has made it through - not just surviving, but thriving - can shift what feels possible. It reminds young people that their lives have value, that joy is attainable, and that they, too, can write their own story."

"Jaymes found belonging in middle school goth circles, wearing clothes inspired by Judd Nelson's trench-coated defiance in The Breakfast Club, and crushing on girls long before they had the language for it. But in a place like Robstown, being queer and visible came with a cost. When a love note to a girlfriend was discovered, Jaymes was outed, bullied relentlessly, and forced to drop out of school. That moment altered everything - setting them on a path of instability and homelessness, but eventually resilience."

Different generations and Southern backgrounds converged to reveal how being seen can transform lives and how denied visibility can endanger them. More than 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills are being tracked nationwide, including bans on transgender healthcare and efforts to remove inclusive education, and such laws have been linked to a substantial rise in suicide attempts among transgender youth. Affirmation functions as survival for Black LGBTQ+ youth who confront rejection, isolation, and violence. Possibility models and visible role models demonstrate resilience, expand perceived futures, and signal that joy, safety, and self-determination are attainable.

Read at Advocate.com