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GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL and transgender teenagers are twice as likely to self-harm and three times more likely to attempt suicide, the results of a new survey show.
The results also show that over half of LGBT teenagers surveyed aged 14 to 18 had self-harmed and a third had attempted suicide.
In contrast to this, the report also found that the majority of LGBT people over the age of 26 reported high levels of self-esteem and said that they were proud of their LGBT identity.
The survey forms part of the LGBTIreland Report commissioned by gay rights and support groups GLEN and BelongTo, and funded by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention.
It gathered data from 2,264 LGBT people – with 53% of those surveyed over 26 and 47% aged between 18 and 25.
The report will be launched this morning by former president of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese.
“This scholarly report is as essential and revealing as it is horrifying,” said McAleese.
The ongoing damage is undeniable. That it involves so many young people is tragic. That it is soluble is the good news.
Bullying
The report points to bullying at school, fear of rejection and discrimination, harassment and violence as reasons for stress, anxiety and depression in LGBT people.
“Some of the findings of The LGBTIreland Report are harrowing, showing higher levels of self-harm and suicidal behaviour among LGBTI teenagers as well as worrying levels of severe and extremely severe stress, anxiety and depression,” said Odhrán Allen, director of mental health at GLEN.
Being LGBTI in itself doesn’t increase the risk of poor mental health.
It’s the experience of being bullied, being rejected or being harassed because you are LGBTI that leads to higher levels of self-harm and attempted suicide.”
Key findings of the survey include:
The key findings of the survey can be viewed here.
The national LGBT helpline can be reached at 1890 929 539
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While the report is saddening I’m getting really sick of the whole “Ireland is such a sad place” comments. We have an openly gay, democratically elected minister for health, the marriage equality referendum was passed easily so obviously these bullies are a minority and do not reflect the majority of the country so stop blaming Ireland as a whole.
Nobody is blaming Ireland as a whole. They’re highlighting the minority to the majority because many are not aware or deny that minority exists.
First comment “what a cold hard place Ireland is” second comment “until society changes its attitude” Ireland has proven that it’s majority are accepting of all sexualities so it’s time to change the record and admit that Ireland has changed and continues to be a more accepting and equal country.
Society does need to change. The majority think it’s all grand since the referendum, it’s not. Out of sight out of mind apparently. And Ireland is a cold, hard and lonely place if you’re young, gay and in the closet
You’ve just reiterated my point. An overwhelming majority of people don’t give two shites about a person’s sexuality but you’re saying that the attitude of the minority is the mindset of society as a whole! It clearly isn’t. There will always be bigotry and homophobia, it’s bot right but there will always be knuckle draggers that can’t understand anything that’s different to themselves. But you can’t say that they reflect Ireland as a whole. There’s actual proof of that, it’s not just an opinion.
Not what I said at all Vesty. Try reading my comment again. I didn’t say it was Ireland as a whole that do this, but the majority are blind to those that do. Majority apathy does nothing to prevent the knuckle draggers. No harm in highlighting it to the majority, makes it harder for knuckle staggers to get away with it. Please reread until you get that I’m not saying Ireland as a whole are knuckle staggers.
The findings of that report is very sad.We are all human beings deserving of love and acceptence. What a cold harsh place Ireland is to those who are different.We are all unique and different. We need to love each other more.The first step in loving is respecting.
Sad times indeed. Coming out was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with growing up. It’s torturous feeling different and being afraid that my loved ones and friends may not accept me. Kindness love respect and support make all the difference to a person especially at a young age coming out. If everyone was taught in sex ed about being different then it would make a lot of difference.
Until society changes its attitude towards LGBT people and no longer ostracises them or condones the bullying of those who are different, not much will change, that’s why reports like this re important to highlight the issue, and we all have to stand together to combat homophobia and transphobia
People like Evert Bops who just this week defended his daughter calling for extermination of gay people and his son abusing a guy on facebook calling him a “f*ggot” and saying its not homophobic. Freedom of speech does not extend to hate speech and it should not be accepted. In reality it leads to deaths.
Acceptance is something to be demanded, not granted. There is nothing wrong with LGBT people and those who say there is are to be challenged at every turn.
I don’t think society condones bullying them or ostracises them at all… A 62% in favour of the referendum out of 60% national turn out for they vote would suggest society is in favour of them not against them.
I think it’s more an issue for that person wondering why they aren’t “normal”
It’s natural to think that when the majority of people you know are straight.
I agree Something needs to be done to get these figures down but I don’t think blaming society is helping?
Society as whole may be accepting in general terms, but there is still a long way to go. I’ve been frequently called a freak or freak show here in the comments section of the journal when defending the rights of transgender people, so there are still certain elements in society who think there’s nothing wrong with bullying or attacking people based on their ender identity or sexuality
@Socrates – That family you refer to are seriously messed up. They constantly provoke and provoke yet when when you call them out they tell you to mind your own business. Nasty bunch altogether. No wonder the kids are spouting that rubbish, being raised by those two dangerous morons.
Cian, that’s a bit like saying racism doesn’t exist anymore because the US has a black president.
It’s more like: ‘lots done, much more to do’.
The problem is that we raise our children to assume that they are straight. They should know that they will be loved and excepted no mater if its a boy or a girl that they fall in love with when they grow up.
No doubting these stats but I would hope that with the growing acceptance of LGBTs in our society this problem would improve…
It probably is improving. But it’s very very deep rooted.
Just as I said a year ago, redefining marriage would make little or no difference to the lives of most gay people and would do nothing to improve the situation of young and vulnerable gay men and lesbians.
Evidence in other countries suggests that homophobia can actually increase after same sex marriage is introduced as the media attention moves onto other minority groups. We have already seen that in Ireland, with the (welcome) increased focus on travellers.Those who tried to sell same sex marriage as a panacea and something that would make a wider and/or long-term change should now have the decency to do the right thing and apologise for misleading the electorate.
Keith Mills, crawl back in to the embrace of the IONA so called, self appointed institute, Breda O’Brien is missing you
Well said Keith. Im sure you’ll get a lot of grief for that comment but the truth is the truth.
It’s only been a year Keith, the people surveyed are more than likely talking about events from before then and anyway most people did not see it as any kind of panacea but rather voting for LGBT people to have the same rights as everyone else.
Sources for that? I’d be interested in seeing evidence that after the introduction of marriage equality for LGBT people, that society swings away from equality. I don’t remember anyone saying that it would be a seismic shift for the lives of everyone here. In fact I think the majority of campaigns focused on the fact that this will have little to no effect on the lives of most but on those it could effect it would be pretty much a fundamentally positive move.
Keith any previous evidence you may have read will not apply. All other countries have introduced marriage equality by way of parliament vote or imposed on the country by their government. Anything imposed could draw a lot of criticism from the general population. We are the first to introduce it democratically, by the will of the people, so old studies do not apply here.
“redefining marriage would make little or no difference to the lives of most gay people and would do nothing to improve the situation of young and vulnerable gay men and lesbians.”
It told young people that there was nothing wrong with them. It gave security to families that should anything happen to either partner they would be treated like any other family. It told all LGBT people that most of their fellow country men and women believed they were their equals in all ways. But sure little or no difference made at all. Pathetic comment as expected from you lot.
No-one sold same sex marriage as a ‘Panacea’ Keith. That line only exists in propaganda bites like you just wrote.
Same sex marriage was passed becausewe have grown, and because its FAIR. No other reason.
Keith, you’re still trying to sell your categorical lies. The nonsense seems to just fall out of your mouth. Back in your Iona box please.
Eurovision can’t come fast enough Keith, so you’re occupied enough that you’re not throwing petty tantrums over the success of the marriage referendum!
The success of the marriage referendum won’t undo the damage that has been done to our communities by the unaccepting society of yesteryear. The queer kids of the future have a much brighter outlook though!
@ Keith. “Just as I said a year ago, redefining marriage would make little or no difference to the lives of most gay people and would do nothing to improve the situation of young and vulnerable gay men and lesbians.”
Isn’t it just as well that we didn’t redefine marriage then. Just because gay people can now avail of marriage if they wish dose not mean it has been redefined. When the No Irish sings were taken down in England and else where. Did that redefine the business that had them up? No it was business as usual.
” make little or no difference to the lives of most gay people ”
Such a ridiculous thing to say. Of course it made a different. It made a difference to every Irish gay person including yourself Keith. We now have a choice as to whether we can marry or not. Where as before that choice wasn’t there.
” would do nothing to improve the situation of young and vulnerable gay men and lesbians”
That wasn’t the aim of the referendum as well you know Keith. It was about marriage equality. The bullying of young vulnerable gay and lesbians is a different issue altogether.
“Evidence in other countries suggests that homophobia can actually increase after same sex marriage is introduced”
Keith We were all aware that . Nobody ever denied that fact. It was blatantly obvious that there is still a lot of hatred for gay people which was evident in the campaign run by the no side. Ye insulting every father with your posters suggesting that their love for their children was somehow less than that of a mothers. Ye insult is every single parent in the country with your posters suggesting that they were somehow neglecting their children by virtue of the fact that there were raising the child alone. Your posters also insulted the children who are being raised by single parents and in particularly the children who are raised by single fathers by leading them to believe that their was something wrong with their families. You insult us every gay couple raising children and every child that is being raised by gay couples. When onside are willing to do all that even though it had noting to do with the referendum we were all expecting an Increase in violence towards gay people when the sour grapes hit in.
Do you not see the absurdity in your reasoning? Do you actually believe that the best way to protect a group of people from being harassed is to ensure that they remain oppressed. This current harassment by anti-gay extreme will be temporary as was the increased harassment imposed upon black people by the Ku Klux Klan after they had won the rights. Yes we are suffering now but the future does look brighter and will be brighter. And the vast majority of the Irish people have proven to us that they stand with us in our struggle by the positive result of the quality referendum.
Exactly what has your point about the travelling community got to do anything. It would appear that you are upset that this group of people may now have rights afforded to them and you want to blame the gay community because you believe that affording travellers right would be unpopular among the electorate.
“Those who tried to sell same sex marriage as a panacea and something that would make a wider and/or long-term change should now have the decency to do the right thing and apologise for misleading the electorate.”
“Those who tried to sell same sex marriage as a panacea and something that would have a negative effect on children. Should do the right thing and apologise to those children and the people that raised them for the abusive insults directed at them throughout the campaign. They should apologise to the gay community as no child has or ever will be negatively effect by affording the God given right as it was for thousands of years before the birth of Christ and for hundreds of years after to marry the person that they love. A right that the homophobic religious fake Christians bigots stole from us.
I have to say Keith that I am pleased that your exploitation of the marriage referendum in an effort to get your name out there and have a platform in the recent general election was unsuccessful as we have enough of your sort in the tall already.
What should we expect when the vast majority of schools are run by an organization that is very anti-gay.
It’s been almost a year Keith, let it go. And no one tried to sell it as a panacea, idk where you got that from.
@Larissa The word Bisexual isn’t used once in this piece once, but lesbian gay and transgender repeatedly are. I am glad those communities are getting recognition but I just wish it was extended to the bi+ community.
You’re right Kathryn, this is another example of the Bi-erasure that’s happening all over society. It’s strange that humans as a species have to be so judgemental towards one another in regards to their sexuality and gender identity
Tragic to see in these days of enlightenment with inroads to equality that this is still so common. I’ve no idea how I emotionally survived my own youth. I suppose not conforming to a preconceived idea of how ‘gays’ act physically protected me somewhat. Mentally the monsters of being perceived as less than have left their scars. I’ve lost enough gay friends over the years to suicide. Conveniently the HSE ignores the crisis. Schools where these children spend so much of their lives promote a Catholic ‘ethos’ of homophobia. State sponsored. Just like our republic wouldn’t legislate for marriage equality. The right of sameness had to be voted upon by people unaffected by gayness. Thankfully the majority approved. We still live in a time were being called gay can acceptably be meant as derogatory yet the ‘N’ word for black people is considered unacceptable. We should nurture all our children.
While it’s good to see you used LGBT in the headline, when other news organisations went with gay, the opening sentence fails to mention bisexual teenagers. Thus adding to a culture of bisexual erasure at a time when we are discussing the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teens.
You use the LGBT acronym but there is not one mention of the Bisexual community in this piece. Pur bisexual young people are also suffering, and this erasure only makes it worse.
@Kathryn Bisexual people would be included in the LGBT umbrella, that’s what the B stands for, the same as the T stands for Transgender people
There is no cure for the existential despair of being gay.
Blaming the rest of society doesn’t actually help either.
Every man looks deep down into the depths of his soul at some point in his life.
Accept oneself.
The great message of life.
Thankfully Jack there is a cure for homophobia. It’s called education.
“Society does need to change” society in Ireland is overwhelmingly in support of equality for all people regardless of sexual orientation or identity. Your comment implies that needs to change.
You will find that those who bully only need an excuse to bully in other to bully, one that will excuse them while doing it? They will do it until the excuse runs out or they get caught telling lies…
People who bully have self esteem issues or want to belong to a crowd as you get with followers as in so called pilot fish. People who bully do it for as long as they can get away with it and the real crazy ones are the scariest ones who act like psychopaths and then those who act as sociopaths.
Bullies will pick on anyone for any excuse that will make them a target, it all depends on the bullies social make up as bullies do not pick on people they think will give them a bloody nose after all?
The worse thing to do with a bully is to show them up for being a bully but then you can get a backlash from them doing that as they do not like being exposed as bullies, they will then do anything to excuse and protect themselves from that and that is a problem in itself?
Bullies live in a fantasy world with their friends and bully to belong or to hide a part of themselves from others, there are a wide variety of bullies, those who get swept away with what bullies around them do to those who hate others with higher self esteem than they have to others who I think bully gays because they get a secret sexual kick from it because they are closet cases themselves.
To be a victim of bullying is as simple as not kissing their rear to exposing them for who they are as that can be from reporting them. All you can do is step back and see what a bully is, a sad pathetic being who tries to make you believe what they want in order to cause you not to see the bigger picture. They want to make you focus on all the negative emotions they can create in their victim and to turn their victims into people LIKE them. They do this to those who join in on their bullying by turning others into copies of them and that is what they seem to want?
They want to take a persons self esteem and to lower it lower than their own and they tell others what to think, belief and feel, this gives them a boost of esteem as this gives them a feeling of control over others and not solely their victim but others they get to join in with their pals.
These people are full of hatred and no matter what happens they will spend the rest of their life like that, the only problem is they might do it to others then. The bullies change people by trying to bring out the worse in them and the best way is to use this in order to improve yourself, something to motivate a person to be better than they are than letting the bully win, a way to motivate ones self I suppose as not everyone is the same no matter how the bully/s try to give that impression as many out there are good people, many forget this due to what victims are exposed to the most?
But that is my believes on the subject???
Not to take away from the serious problem this article addresses, but if over half of LGBT self-harm, and they’re twice as likely to do so compared to other teens, that would mean over 1 in 4 teenagers self-harm, which seems extremely unlikely? And 1 in 10 have attempted suicided?
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