LGBTQ+ young people are politically engaged - but it's complicated
Briefly

LGBTQ+ young people are politically engaged - but it's complicated
"Using data from the Trevor Project's 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, the brief, released Wednesday, notes that 60 percent of respondents felt motivated to take some action in the previous year, such as volunteering, contributing money, attending a political event, or contacting a government official. Forty-four percent said they had at least one LGBTQ-related political concern. The 18,663 LGBTQ+ young people who responded to the survey were recruited via ads on social media."
"The data was collected at the end of 2023, so it's "independent of the current political environment," Derrick Matthews, director of research science at the Trevor Project, tells The Advocate. Anti-LGBTQ+ and especially anti- transgender rhetoric and legislation were becoming widespread at the time, but the environment has become even more hostile during Donald Trump's second term as president. It wouldn't be surprising if the rate of political engagement has gone up since the survey was taken, Matthews says."
Sixty percent of respondents reported motivation to take political action in the prior year, including volunteering, donating, attending events, or contacting officials. Forty-four percent reported at least one LGBTQ-related political concern. The survey included 18,663 LGBTQ+ young people recruited via social media ads. Data were collected at the end of 2023, before the current political environment. Anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation were already widespread and became more hostile during Donald Trump's second term. Political engagement correlated with higher rates of anxiety and depression, and association does not equal causality. Efforts are needed to ensure access and full participation in civic actions.
Read at Advocate.com
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