Every day, queer teens and young adults are challenged by the politicization of gender identity and sexual orientation and the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

And the mental health consequences are alarming.

A staggering 45 percent of LGBTQ+ youth 13 through 24 report to have seriously considered suicide, and 14 percent have tried to hurt themselves, according to a 2022 report from The Trevor Project.

Given that LGBTQ+ youth face continued fights around their identity, what are mental health concerns specific to queer youth? And what support is necessary for LGBTQ+ teens and young adults to take care of their well-being amid a national political climate that’s working against them?

Coming up at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, MPR News shares a special broadcast from Call to Mind, American Public Media’s initiative to foster conversations about mental health. The special “Queer Youth Resilience & Mental Health” is hosted by Kimberly Adams.

Guests:

• Brian Coleman is a licensed clinical professional counselor at Jones College Prep High School in Chicago Public School District.

• Laura Holt is a licensed psychologist with Mental Health Services-Habif Health and Wellness Center at Washington University in St. Louis.

• Jordyn Pruitt is a student at Georgia College & State University.

• Danielle Ramo is a licensed psychologist and the Chief Clinical Officer at BeMe Health. She’s also an adjunct associate professor at the University of California San Francisco. 

• Steven Rocha is the policy director at PRISM Florida, an organization that aims to expand access to LGBT-inclusive education and sexual health resources for youth in South Florida.