The Trevor Project:
The life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project springs from the powerful intersection of storytelling on stage and film.
In 1994, producers Randy Stone and Peggy Rajski saw writer/performer James Lecesne bring to life Trevor, a character he created as part of his award-winning one-man show WORD OF MOUTH. Convinced Trevor's story would make a wonderful short film, Stone and Rajski invited Lecesne to adapt it into a screenplay. Rajski directed the movie and TREVOR went on to win many prestigious awards including the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film.
The Oscar-winning film eventually launched a national movement. When producer Randy Stone secured an airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres hosting, director/producer Peggy Rajski discovered there was no real place for young people like Trevor to turn when facing challenges similar to his. She quickly recruited mental health experts and figured out how to build the infrastructure necessary for a nationwide 24-hour crisis line, and writer James Lecesne secured the funds to start it.
On the night their funny and moving coming-of-age story premiered on HBO in 1998, these visionary filmmakers launched The TREVOR Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project’s multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources – the Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorText, TrevorSpace and Ask Trevor, or participated in Trevor Education Trainings, or joined the Trevor Advocacy Network or their local Trevor Ambassadors or Trevor NextGen volunteer group.
The Trevor Project is the premier organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ teens and young adults. Learn more at TheTrevorProject.org.
In 1994, producers Randy Stone and Peggy Rajski saw writer/performer James Lecesne bring to life Trevor, a character he created as part of his award-winning one-man show WORD OF MOUTH. Convinced Trevor's story would make a wonderful short film, Stone and Rajski invited Lecesne to adapt it into a screenplay. Rajski directed the movie and TREVOR went on to win many prestigious awards including the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film.
The Oscar-winning film eventually launched a national movement. When producer Randy Stone secured an airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres hosting, director/producer Peggy Rajski discovered there was no real place for young people like Trevor to turn when facing challenges similar to his. She quickly recruited mental health experts and figured out how to build the infrastructure necessary for a nationwide 24-hour crisis line, and writer James Lecesne secured the funds to start it.
On the night their funny and moving coming-of-age story premiered on HBO in 1998, these visionary filmmakers launched The TREVOR Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project’s multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources – the Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorText, TrevorSpace and Ask Trevor, or participated in Trevor Education Trainings, or joined the Trevor Advocacy Network or their local Trevor Ambassadors or Trevor NextGen volunteer group.
The Trevor Project is the premier organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ teens and young adults. Learn more at TheTrevorProject.org.
Experiences with Violence
Negative attitudes toward gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people put LGBT youth at increased risk for experiences with violence, compared with other students [1]. Violence can include behaviors such as bullying, teasing, harassment, physical assault, and suicide-related behaviors.
Eight of ten students had been verbally harassed at school;A 2009 survey* of more than 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students aged 13–21 years found that in the past year, because of their sexual orientation—
- Four of ten had been physically harassed at school;
- Six of ten felt unsafe at school; and
- One of five had been the victim of a physical assault at school [2].
*Survey participants were recruited online and through community-based groups and service organizations serving LGBT youth.
Another survey of more than 7,000 seventh- and eighth-grade students from a large Midwestern county examined the effects of school climate and homophobic bullying on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth and found thatLGBT youth are also at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suicide attempts, and suicide. A nationally representative study of adolescents in grades 7–12 found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide as their heterosexual peers [3]. More studies are needed to better understand the risks for suicide among transgender youth.
- LGBQ youth were more likely than heterosexual youth to report high levels of bullying and substance use;
- Students who were questioning their sexual orientation reported more bullying, homophobic victimization, unexcused absences from school, drug use, feelings of depression, and suicidal behaviors than either heterosexual or LGB students;
- LGB students who did not experience homophobic teasing reported the lowest levels of depression and suicidal feelings of all student groups (heterosexual, LGB, and questioning students); and
- All students, regardless of sexual orientation, reported the lowest levels of depression, suicidal feelings, alcohol and marijuana use, and unexcused absences from school when they were
- In a positive school climate and
- Not experiencing homophobic teasing
Mission
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.
What Can You Do To Help?
The issues today with LGBT suicides and bullying is the fact that we choose to ignore the discussion of these topics with our children. Being LGBT is not a choice and the misconception that some teach to their children is the reason we have these issues still to this day. The times are changing, gay marriage is becoming accepted on a global basis. We have to learn to get past this hate to work towards a better outlook for the LGBT youth.
