Youth's Lives Every Day
15% of LGBTQ youth in Minnesota reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy in the past year
April 21, 2023 — The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ young people, celebrated the passage of SF 23 in the Minnesota Senate — a bill which would prohibit licensed medical professionals from subjecting LGBTQ youth to the dangerous and discredited practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law.
With the forthcoming signage of the bill, Minnesota will become the 21st state in the nation with statewide legislative protections against conversion “therapy.”
“In the wake of the record levels of anti-LGBTQ bills across the country, it brings so much hope to mark the historic passage of this legislation in Minnesota. This bipartisan bill — which will help protect LGBTQ youth across the state from the dangers and harms of so-called conversion ‘therapy’ — sends a powerful message of affirmation and support to every young LGBTQ Minnesotan growing up in The North Star State,” said Troy Stevenson (he/him), Director of State Advocacy Campaigns for The Trevor Project. “As this bill makes its way to the Governor’s desk, we urge other states to join alongside Minnesota’s example and pass conversion therapy bans to help ensure every single LGBTQ young person in our country is protected, no matter where they live.”
Relevant Research:
- According to The Trevor Project’s 2022 U.S. National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health by State, 43% of LGBTQ youth in Minnesota seriously considered suicide in the past year, including 52% of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, 15% of LGBTQ youth in Minnesota reported being threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.
- Further, a peer-reviewed study by The Trevor Project published in the American Journal of Public Health found that LGBTQ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to report having attempted suicide and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts in the past year.
- A peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Pediatrics found the practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth, and its associated harms – such as substance abuse and negative mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts – cost the U.S. an estimated $9.23 billion, annually.
For journalists looking to learn more about how to cover the issue of conversion therapy, here is a guide on best practices.
If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting 678678.