Pride is something to celebrate all year long, and with that, a spotlight on the many facets of the queer community is essential. While much progress has been made since Stonewall, there’s still a lot of work to be done in uplifting — and supporting — the queer community. Conflict between queer people and dominant culture can be even more oppressive for trans folks and people of color, for whom issues of intersectionality come into play.
Struggles with mental health are also more prevalent in the queer community. Data from the Trevor Project’s 2022 Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health showed that rates of suicide attempts and consideration were significantly higher in transgender and nonbinary youth than cisgender youth. Additionally, suicide attempt rates were higher for Black queer youth compared to white youth.
More than half the survey participants who reported wanting mental health care were not able to receive care — a first step to healing and learning to take care of themselves. While getting stable support such as therapy can be difficult because of insurance situations or parental involvement, there are other resources available for queer people. Below, I’ve compiled four resources for the Black trans community — and in some cases, others — to help supplement mental health support.
- Trans Lifeline
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Founded in 2014, Trans Lifeline is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the trans community. Their hotline, 1-877-565-8860 in the US, is open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, with plans to expand their hours this year. Trans Lifeline was created by trans people for trans people, and the website includes other resources if necessary.
- The Trevor Project
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The Trevor Project might be one of the most well-known organizations for supporting LGBTQ youth. While they do lots of work on research and awareness, they also have a 24/7 crisis hotline staffed by counselors. If you aren’t comfortable talking over the phone, the Trevor Project also has chatting options via text or messaging over the computer. TrevorSpace is an online platform to build community with other queer youth, and their resource page is a great place to get informed.
- GLAAD
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While GLAAD’s focus is primarily on the media and representations of queer people, they are also a strong resource center. Their Transgender Resources page includes a long list of hotlines, advocacy groups, and trans-focused programs in larger organizations. This page is a great starting point to discover other resources and organizations.
- Bridges4Life
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Created by Tahtianna Fermin, a Black trans advocate and educator, Bridges4Life is an organization that helps provide services and mental health support to trans youth in the foster care system, young adults, and surviving sex workers. Bridges4Life serves the New Jersey and New York area, offering safe spaces for at-risk Black, trans, and gender non-conforming folks.
Supporting the mental health of the Black transgender community is an important, and essential, component of embracing Pride all year long. Mental health is health — and everyone should be able to access the care they deserve.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for LGBTQ+ mental health or safety concerns, call The Trevor Project‘s 24/7 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386). You can also reach out for instant message or text message support via TrevorChat and TrevorText, respectively. For additional resources for trans people, call the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860. In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911.