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Exploring Identity for Jewish American Heritage Month

As May rolls around, we recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich cultural history and contributions of Jewish Americans. As someone from a family with Jewish heritage, this month is a moment to connect to a tradition that is both religious and cultural. I have often been called “one ‘i’ away from having a Jewish last name” (my surname is Bernsten, but often misspelled as Bernstein)and, though I was not raised in a Jewish family, my paternal grandmother came from an Ashkenazi Jewish family in Lithuania and my identity – whether or not I could consider…
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The Trevor Project Launches Our 2023 National Survey

The Trevor Project's 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People highlights the experiences of over 28,000 LGBTQ youth aged 13 to 24 across the United States. We wish we had seen more progress in our Annual Survey towards a world where the public health crisis of suicide among LGBTQ young people is ended and organizations like ours no longer need to exist. However, we still see a crisis where LGBTQ young people don't feel affirmed, experience suicidal ideation, and most who want mental health care are still unable to access it. We can and must…
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What Trevor Learned on the Ground at the Walkouts and Rallies in Florida

We know that so many of you are exhausted, demoralized, and angry about the record number of anti-LGBTQ bills being introduced in state houses across the nation. Every time we hear fresh news of another one of over 500 harmful bills this year, we at Trevor feel despondent. The common sense idea of freedom – the freedom to parent, treat patients, express oneself, talk about one’s life at school – is under attack by politicians more focused on optics than standing up for their constituents. It’s easy to feel hopeless, and I was starting to feel that way. We knew…
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Celebrating Ramadan as an LGBTQ Person

Muslims are finishing their final fasts of the holy month of Ramadan. For the last time this month, we will recite prayers, donate to charitable causes, and reflect upon our lives. Soon we will celebrate Eid, a celebratory day for exchanging gifts, sharing food with family and neighbors, and existing in community. The story for young LGBTQ Muslims can be a bit more complicated — it certainly was for me. Ramadan meant putting my faith on full display at school. The response from peers spanned from curious questions — "you can’t even drink water?” — to more hateful comments. On…
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Celebrating Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month: An Interview with Michael and Zak Zakar

Michael & Zak Zakar describe themselves as the Middle Eastern Mary-Kate & Ashley. They aim to represent the underrepresented voices of proud Middle Easterners in the entertainment industry and have published a book, Pray the Gay Away, about their upbringing. Can you talk about the intersection of your queer and Arab American heritage? Michael: It seems like the question to our people is a paradox in itself. Like it’s impossible to be both, have layers. It’s important to recognize that people like us exist in our home country and in the states. If anyone should be leading the revolution on…
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Authors Making a Difference: Celebrating Women’s History Month with a Panel of Women and Gender-Expansive Authors

Seeing ourselves in stories can be incredibly powerful. The Trevor Project’s editorial team invited three authors — Lamya H, Sarah Cypher, and Becky Albertalli — to talk about the importance of seeing women’s and LGBTQ+ experiences in books, and how they can help us better understand ourselves and be better allies to each other. Considering recent bans of LGBTQ+ books in school libraries, these authors show us why sharing authentic stories can help affirm young people and why reading mainstream LGBTQ+ books can be an act of resistance. Lamya H (she/they) is a queer Muslim writer and organizer living in…
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Our Resolution: Defeat Anti-LGBTQ Bills in 2023

As we start a new year, we enter a hostile political landscape for LGBTQ young people in states across America. In 2022, 220 anti-LGBTQ bills were considered in a majority of states across the country — a record number. In 2023, this trend is set to continue, as state houses around America are considering legislation that targets LGBTQ young people, ranging from censoring LGBTQ-related curriculums and books, banning transgender student-athletes from participating in sports that match their gender identity, and criminalizing doctors and families who support youth with transgender medical care.   That’s the bad news. However, there is reason for…
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Going Home For The Holidays

Going home can mean returning to your comfort zone. Going home can mean freedom of expression or safety from the storm. Some people have many homes; the homes they come from, the homes they created on their own. And some people still cannot call anywhere a home, in both the physical and emotional sense.  As someone who grew up in an often unsafe and unaffirming home, the ability to control and feel safe in my space is very important to me. The home I am in now is my favorite so far. It is a cozy place where I cook…
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Every Single One: Letters to Those Who Supported Us

Affirmation has an enormous impact — in fact, one accepting adult can decrease an LGBTQ young person’s risk of suicide by up to 40%. For this year’s Every Single One campaign, we’re helping LGBTQ young people tell stories of those who have changed their lives for the better. By telling these stories, we hope to encourage others to do the same. We asked five LGBTQ young people to write a letter to someone who has supported them on their journey and captured those letters in this video. Here’s what they said: Dear Mama,  Thank you for understanding me when no…
Get Involved with our Fight for Equality
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Get Involved in Our Fight for Equality

The world today feels uncertain and scary. When we look at the issues faced by LGBTQ — especially trans and nonbinary — young people, it can feel overwhelming. There is so much discrimination and disinformation out there, sometimes it feels like there are problems too big to be solved. While it’s true these issues are daunting, there are concrete ways to take action. The antidote to despair is getting involved and effecting change in individual lives.  Transgender Awareness Week is a one-week celebration every year — observed November 13 to November 19 — leading up to Trans Day of Remembrance…