Roger-Luc Chayer (Image : AI / Gay Globe)
The mental distress of young gay, lesbian, and transgender people has never been as intense in most Western countries, and it is since the pandemic that records of suicides and distress calls seem to have been reached; the reasons are multiple, but solutions exist.
According to Tel-jeunes, the holiday season is not always synonymous with joy: Tel-jeunes observed a 17% increase in calls during this period, totaling more than 1,000 distress calls.
Distress among young gay people
In Western countries, the distress experienced by many young gay people is rooted in a set of mutually reinforcing factors. Despite legal and social advances, homophobia unfortunately remains very present, often in more insidious forms such as micro-aggressions, trivialized mockery, implicit rejection, or constant questioning of their right to exist.
At school, these attitudes can manifest as bullying, social isolation, or a permanent climate of insecurity, leaving deep marks on self-esteem. Within the family, lack of acceptance, fear of rejection, or imposed silence around sexual orientation constitute a major source of anxiety, some young people living their identity in guilt or complete concealment.
Added to this is social and media pressure, notably on social networks, where standards of beauty, success, and emotional performance are omnipresent and often unattainable. These platforms can amplify feelings of comparison, exclusion, or loneliness, while exposing young people to hateful speech or violent content—I see this daily on Instagram, Threads, or Facebook.
The pandemic worsened this reality by cutting many young people off from their safe social spaces, reinforcing isolation, and limiting access to support resources. Finally, the lack of mental health services truly adapted to LGBT realities, combined with the fear of not being understood or taken seriously, leads some young people to keep their distress to themselves until it becomes overwhelming.
Knowing that nearly 30% of young gay people end up homeless after being expelled from their homes by hateful and prejudiced parents, states should seriously consider holding these parents accountable, even criminalizing them to force them to assume their role and support their child. The price to pay will always be less than that of a broken life, condemned to wandering, numbed by drugs, and often doomed to a premature death by overdose or suicide.
Distress among young lesbians
Among young lesbians in Western countries, distress is rooted in specific realities that add to the more general forms of discrimination related to sexual orientation. They often face double marginalization, both as women and as homosexuals, which exposes them more to sexism, invisibility, and the questioning of their identity. Their orientation is frequently minimized, sexualized, or seen as a « phase, » which can generate a deep feeling of non-recognition and illegitimacy, even within their close circle.
Family pressure also remains a central distress factor. Coming out can lead to rejection, misunderstanding, or control attempts, sometimes under the guise of protection, forcing some young lesbians to hide an essential part of their identity. At school and in public spaces, insults, stereotypes, and verbal or psychological violence remain frequent, contributing to a climate of insecurity and isolation.
Added to this is social pressure linked to gender and femininity norms, which impose models often incompatible with their experience and can durably affect self-esteem. The lack of positive and realistic lesbian representations in the media, combined with overexposure on social networks, reinforces the feeling of loneliness and constant comparison.
Distress among young transgender people
Among young transgender people in Western countries, psychological distress is often particularly intense, as it affects both the deep identity, the body, and social recognition. One major source of suffering lies in gender dysphoria, i.e., the gap between the felt gender and the sex assigned at birth, a gap that can cause daily anxiety, body hatred, and a feeling of entrapment.
This suffering is often worsened by others’ gaze, stigmatization, and constant questioning of the very legitimacy of their identity, whether at school, in public spaces, or within the family.
Family rejection is a central distress factor. Many trans youth face misunderstanding, denial, or hostility from their parents, sometimes in the form of psychological pressure, attempts at « correction, » or outright exclusion from the home. This lack of emotional and material support deeply weakens their mental health and increases risks of isolation, precariousness, and homelessness. At school, bullying, harassment, disrespect for chosen names or pronouns, and insecurity in gendered spaces such as restrooms or locker rooms create a permanent anxious climate.
Added to this are medical and administrative obstacles. Access to gender-affirming care often remains long, complex, and unequal depending on the region, generating frustration, despair, and a sense of abandonment. Recurring political and media debates about trans rights, often charged with hostile or dehumanizing discourse, reinforce the impression of being a social target rather than a full person.
The lack of mental health professionals trained in trans realities, combined with fear of judgment or invalidation, pushes many young people to live their distress in silence, which partly explains the alarming rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation observed in this population.
The bisexual exception
Within LGBT communities, I have always considered the B of bisexuals as an exception because, in my very personal opinion, bisexual people do not truly experience a sexual orientation in the strict sense, but rather an attraction to both sexes, a physical and emotional openness to both. Often, bisexual people do not identify as homosexual or lesbian, and relatively few claim this identity at the community level or during Pride parades worldwide.
Sources of distress among young bisexuals often differ from those experienced by young gay, lesbian, or transgender people because they rely less on immediate visibility of identity than on its invisibilization and constant questioning. Where homosexuality or trans identity are often attacked frontally, bisexuality is constantly denied, minimized, or disqualified. Many young bisexuals hear that their orientation does not really exist, that it is a phase, temporary confusion, or opportunistic choice.
This invalidation manifests both in the majority society and within LGBT communities. Young bisexuals may feel rejected by heterosexual environments, which perceive them as « indecisive » or « unreliable, » while feeling marginalized in gay and lesbian spaces, where they are sometimes suspected of enjoying heterosexual privileges or not fully owning their orientation. This double rejection creates a permanent limbo feeling, where one never fully belongs to any group, fostering isolation and loneliness.
The lack of positive and credible bisexual representations, including in activist discourse, reinforces the idea that this orientation is secondary or less « authentic. » This absence of models and recognition helps explain why young bisexuals show, in several studies, high levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, often comparable or even higher than other LGBT groups, but for deeply different reasons related not so much to visibility as to erasure.
Here are real and reliable resources to help LGBTQ+ youth in distress — whether in Canada, the United States, or Europe — including hotlines, support organizations, crisis services, and useful networks:
🇨🇦 Canada – support, hotlines, and community services
LGBTQ+ specialized hotlines
LGBT Youthline – confidential support for LGBTQ+ youth (Ontario and all over Canada): phone, text, and chat available.
Youth line: 1-800-268-9688 / Text: 647-694-4275
Trans Lifeline (Canada) – peer support by trans people, available for trans individuals in crisis.
Phone: 1-877-330-6366
General support services for youth (including LGBTQ+)
Tel-Jeunes / Jeunesse, J’écoute – 24/7 support for any distress or mental crisis in youth up to 25 years old.
Phone: 1-800-263-2266 or 1-800-668-6868
Text: CONNECT to 686868
PFLAG Canada – peer support for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families.
Line: 1-888-530-6777
Local organizations and programs in Quebec
Interligne – helpline, chat, and resources for LGBTQ+ people (listening, support, information).
Aide aux trans du Québec – support and resources for trans people.
Tel-jeunes Quebec – specific support for youth in distress (including LGBTQ+).
🇺🇸 United States – 24/7 crisis lines and LGBTQ+ support
Listening places and direct support
The Trevor Project – crisis support and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth (24/7) via phone, text, and online chat.
Phone: 1-866-488-7386
Text: « START » → 678-678
Secure chat: via website
LGBT National Youth Talkline – peer hotline for LGBTQ+ youth up to 25 years.
Phone: 800-246-7743
LGBT National Hotline – support and referral line for any LGBTQ+ person.
Phone: 888-843-4564
Other useful resources
Trans Lifeline (USA) – trans support line run by trans people.
Phone: 877-565-8860
National Runaway Safeline – help for homeless or crisis youth.
⚠️ The specialized 988 option for LGBTQ+ youth via the national suicide prevention line was removed in 2025 but remains a general crisis assistance resource accessible across the U.S.
🇪🇺 Europe – organizations, networks, and support
Pan-European networks and organizations
ILGA-Europe – European organization that brings together over 700 LGBTQ+ associations and advocates for the safety, equality, and dignity of LGBTI people across Europe.
IGLYO (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth & Student Organisation) – global and European network dedicated to LGBTQIA+ youth (awareness, training, resources, events).
Project « Young, Queer & Away from Home » (IGLYO + Missing Children Europe) – mapping of services (shelters, psychosocial support, housing) for at-risk or homeless LGBTQ+ youth in Europe.
Examples of national resources (in Europe)
France – Le Refuge – shelter, social support, and psychological help for young victims of homophobia/transphobia, especially those rejected by their families.
France – SOS Homophobie – association offering anonymous reception, listening, and support to victims of LGBT discrimination.
Belgium – Lumi – listening line for questions about gender and sexual orientation.
Belgium – Transgender Infopoint – free and anonymous information and support.
Switzerland – Le Refuge Geneva – support and protection for young LGBT people.
UK – Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline – confidential telephone support for LGBTQ+ people.
Sweden – Mind Självmordslinjen – suicide prevention line (general services, useful for youth in distress).
(Services vary by country and may include hotlines, support groups, legal services, shelters, mentoring programs, or online resources.)
🌍 International resources and support platforms
It Gets Better Global (IGB Get Help) – global directory of LGBTQ+ resources by country (organizations, hotlines, online support) where services can be searched in over 40 countries.
TrevorSpace – secure social network for LGBTQ+ youth (positive and discrimination-free online community).
Befrienders Worldwide & International Suicide Hotlines – platforms listing helplines and suicide prevention services worldwide.
Please note that the list of resources was compiled by ChatGPT.
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