Why Are Suicide Attempts So High Among LGB Teens?

By Marina Adshade

In 2005, 45% of gay, lesbian, or bisexual youth attempted suicide in the US, compared with 8% of heterosexual youth. Some individuals have gone on the record to say that homosexual youths try to kill themselves because they know that what they are doing “is unnatural, is wrong, is immoral." I wondered what the empirical evidence is for that argument.

First up, how much is the high rate of LGB suicide related to rejection by parents? A 2009 study found that gay, lesbian, and bisexual young adults with a high level of family rejection are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide, 5.9 times more likely to be depressed and 3.4 times more likely to engage in substance abuse compared to other LGB youth whose parents accepted their sexual orientation.

Next, and not unrelated: homelessness. An estimated 320,000 to 400,000 LGB youths face homeless every year in the US, making up as much as 40% of the total youth homeless population. One study found that 26% of LGB youth who told their parents their sexual orientation were asked to move out of their family home.

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