There’s an open debate in our country on the power of the news we see every day: many people wonder whether negative media headlines have the power to influence mental health, and specifically, in our current cultural milieu, whether coverage of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation nationwide can increase suicidal ideation – i.e. suicidal thoughts – among people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
It’s a valid and pressing question.
In 2024, it’s almost impossible to avoid seeing headlines from news media. It can happen to people who have no interest in the news at all. It simply takes scrolling through social media, opening a laptop, turning on a desktop, or taking out a smartphone. Lock screens and screensavers often present snippets of weather forecasts, financial forecasts, sports stories, and – you guessed it – the latest news stories. This makes inadvertent viewing of headline a frequent occurrence.
Here are examples of the types of headlines that can cause distress. Click through to see the text. We won’t include them here, since they may have a negative impact on members or the LGBTQIA+ community.
From CNN:
Two from ABC:
Two from FOX:
Three from NBC:
Before we proceed, we’ll pose a simple question:
If you were a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, what impact would headlines like these have on you?
We’ll let you consider that, while we report on a study a group of mental health researchers from Vanderbilt University, Yale University, McGill University, and Rutgers University conducted in order to learn whether negative new media reports about the LGBTQIA+ community had an impact on a critical mental health metric among young adults: suicidal ideation, i.e. suicidal thoughts.
New Research: Negative Media, Suicidal Ideation (Suicidal Thoughts), and LGBTQIA+ Young Adults
The authors of the study “Real-Time Exposure to Negative News Media and Suicidal Ideation Intensity Among LGBTQ+ Young Adults” posed this research question:
“Is real-time exposure to negative news or media (eg, a news headline) associated with short-term changes in suicidal ideation (SI) intensity among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) young adults?”
Let’s clarify why this research is important.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) recently published a report called “The Epidemic of Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in the United States” that documented the increase in legislation designed to reduce or constrain the rights of LGBTQIA+ people across the U.S. in 2023 alone:
- 500 anti-LGBTQ+ laws were proposed in state legislatures
To read a full list published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), click here.
- 220 laws targeted transgender youth, seeking to:
- Establish restroom and locker room bans
- Ban access to gender-affirming medical care
- Remove any reference to LGBTQIA+ identities/experience from school curricula
The HRC detailed the accompanying increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism that occurred within this cultural milieu:
- 33 transgender or gender non-conforming people killed in hate crimes between November 2022 and November 2023
- 335 transgender or gender non-conforming people killed in hate crimes between 2013 and 2023
- 62% were black trans women
- 85% were people of color
- 83% were trans women
- Victims of anti-LGBTQIA+ killing by age:
- Average age of 30
- 75% under age 35
- 10% under age 21
- Victims of anti-LGBTQIA+ killing by location:
- 63% killed in just 10 states
- 10% occurred in Texas: 34 total
- 9% occurred in Florida: 31 total
The states with the largest number of anti-LGBTQIA+ laws include Florida, Texas, North Dakota, and Texas, followed by Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. In addition, the American Medical Association (AMA) indicates that eight (8) states “require public school administrators, teachers, and staff to disclose a student’s transgender or gender-diverse identity,” whether the student wants that identity known to parents or not.
Experts theorize that the combination of these laws and news coverage about them, or news coverage of these laws, can lead to significant increase in expectations of rejection, which, in turn, experts theorize may increase:
- Stigma
- Stress related to stigma
- Increase in suicidality
Hence the compelling reason for this study. Researchers wanted to know if negative news media about LGBTQIA+ people had any impact on levels of suicidal ideation among LGBTQIA+ people, specifically young adults ag 18-25.
Before we look at that study, let’s take a look at the most recent data on suicidality in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Suicide and Suicidal Ideation Among LGBTQIA+ People: Facts and Figures
We retrieved this first set of data from the 2023 Youth Behavior Survey. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publishes the YRBS every two years. Researchers collect and analyze survey results through the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). The goal of the YRBSS is to track risky behavior that have a negative impact on the overall wellness of children, adolescents, and young adults.
The following data is for high school students, age 13-17.
Suicidal Behavior: LGBTQIA+ High School Students
- 45% seriously considered suicide:
- Gay: 35%
- Lesbian: 46%
- Bisexual: 43%
- Queer: 48%
- Questioning: 48%
- Asexual: 39%
- 14% attempted suicide:
- Gay: 11%
- Lesbian: 13%
- Bisexual: 13%
- Queer: 14%
- Questioning: 17%
- Asexual: 11%
Next, we’ll look at information published by Mental Health America (MHA) on the types of discrimination LGBTQIA+ people experience:
- Threatened/bullied: 57%
- Sexual harassment: 51%
- Experienced violence because of LGBTQIA+ status: 51%
- Verbal slurs against transgender people: 38%
- Experienced physical violence, LGBTQIA+ youth: 36%
- Harassed, transgender youth: 37%
We collated this next series of statistics from the 2023 YRBS and the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2022 NSDUH):
Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide in the Past Year
High School Students:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 15%
- LGBTQIA+: 45%
Adults 18+:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 4.3%
- LGBTQIA+: 12.3%
Made a Suicide Plan in the Past Year
High school students:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 12%
- LGBTQIA+: 37%
Adults 18+:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 1.1%
- LGBTQIA+: 4%
Attempted Suicide in the Past Year
High school students:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 6%
- LGBTQIA+: 22%
Adults 18+:
- Non-LGBTQIA+: 0.5%
- LGBTQIA+: 1.9%
The numbers show, without a doubt, that rates of suicidality are significantly higher among the LGBTQIA+ community than the non-LGBTQIA+ community, which strengthens the case for research on the topic of this article: the impact of negative news stories on LGBTQIA+ people, particularly youth and young adults.
About the Study: How They Did It
To explore the hypothesis that seeing negative media or news stories can increase suicidal thoughts for LGBTQIA+ young adults, researchers recruited a group of gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, questioning, and asexual people to participate in a series of surveys conducted over a 28-day period. The group included people who identified as male, female, trans man/trans woman, genderfluid, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming.
The research team created three categories of news exposure:
- People who never saw negative stories about LGBTQIA+ people in the news. They called this the no exposure/control group.
- People who saw negative news or media about non-LGBTQIA+ topics. They called this the general exposure group
- Those who saw negative news/media on LGBTQIA+ topics. They called this the negative exposure group.
The team also measured expectations of rejection related to news media on a scale of 0 through 10, with zero being no expectation of rejection, and ten being significant expectation of rejection.
Over a 28-day period, participants responded to assessments three times a day. Assessments measured their level of suicidality right now for three categories of suicidality:
- Passive suicidal ideation, i.e. considering suicide without making a plan
- Active suicidal ideation, i.e. considering suicide and making plans to carry out a suicide attempt
- Self-harm ideation, i.e. considering harming themselves without intent to die
In each response session, respondents answered suicidality questions first, followed by media exposure questions, followed by expectation of rejection questions.
Let’s look at what they found.
The Results: Did Seeing Negative Media Increase Suicidal Thoughts Among LGBTQIA+ People?
In a word, yes.
Here’s what the researchers found. Among the LGBTQIA+ participants:
- 81% reported exposure to general negative news and media
- 84% reported exposure to negative news/media related to LGBTQIA+ people
Here’s the outcome of that exposure:
- 71% reported active suicidal ideation:
- 58% attributed to variation in media exposure, i.e. seeing negative news about LGBTQIA+ people/topics
- 97% reported passive suicidal ideation:
- 29% attributed to variation in media exposure, i.e. seeing negative news about LGBTQIA+ people/topics
- 74% reported self-harm ideation:
- 38% attributed to variation in media exposure, i.e. seeing negative news about LGBTQIA+ people/topics
- 38% reported expectation of rejection
- 47% attributed to variation in media exposure, i.e. seeing negative news about LGBTQIA+ people/topics
The research team concluded that exposure to general negative news had no impact on levels of suicidal ideation or expectation of rejection. However, the results clearly show that seeing negative media about LGBTQIA+ was associated with:
- Active suicidal ideation frequency/intensity
- Passive suicidal ideation frequency/intensity
- Self-harm ideation frequency/intensity
Here’s how they characterize these results:
“SI intensity may modestly increase in the hours immediately following identity-specific, but not general, negative news or media exposure among LGBTQ+ young adults. These…have timely implications for research and intervention, particularly within sociopolitical and geographic contexts where news or media coverage about LGBTQ+ topics is intensified.”
Negative Media, Suicidal Thoughts, and the LGBTQIA+ Community: What These Results Mean
In the U.S. in the fall of 2024, these results mean we need to pay close attention to the mental health of LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. It’s election season, and news stories regarding LGBTQIA+ people may appear with greater frequency as November approaches. Therefore, anyone involved in the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth or young adults, from parents to healthcare providers to professors to teachers, should keep checking in with them and ensuring they’re okay psychologically and emotionally.
But, more importantly, the onus falls on news media outlets to regulate themselves. The study authors suggest media outlets should:
- Avoid sensationalism
- Increase awareness of the “suicidogenic impact of negative LGBTQ+ news coverage”
- Collaborate with mental health experts on coverage with mental health implications, i.e. stories about anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation
- Provide mental health resources alongside on coverage with mental health implications
We’re completely on board with all of the above. In fact, we’re a trusted mental health resource for the LGBTQIA+ members of our community. We welcome LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults alike, and celebrate them every day for exactly who they are and the lives they lead.
LGBTQIA+ Helpful Resources and Links
You can consult The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) for information on mental health disorders and suicide, ideas about how to find support, and other resources specific to the LGBTQIA+ community:
- The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists: maintains a comprehensive therapist directory.
- The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN): reputable network with a wide variety of LGBTQIA+ resources.
- The GLBT National Help Center: chat and crisis hotline support, peer support, youth chat rooms, confidential, no outsourcing.
- The Trevor Project: specialized, focused resources for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults.
- The American Psychological Association (APA): reputable professional organization with resources, treatment finders, and more.
- The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association’s Provider Directory: maintains a directory of LGBTQIA+ friendly healthcare providers around the country.
- The National Center for Transgender Equality: provides a comprehensive set of legal and other helpful resources, with a laser focus on transgender issues.
- Trans Lifeline: helps transgender people access support and advice about how to fully live their identity.
- Depression Looks Like Me: tips, advice, and support for LGBTQIA+ people with depression.
