Trans Youth Under Attack: Peer-to-Peer Supports Can Help
Our trans youth are under attack, and silence equals harm.
Across the country, lawmakers and federal actions are rolling back access to basic, evidence-based health care for trans youth.
Executive orders seek to cut federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors, and political pressure has led major medical centers to halt services.
These policy attacks are not abstract. They create fear, interrupt care, and increase suicide risk for young people who already face disproportionate mental health challenges.
According to The Trevor Project, 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year — including 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people. LGBTQ+ youth of color reported higher rates than white peers.
California continues to protect access in law and policy, but even here families feel the ripple effects when federal actions and political pressure cause providers to scale back programs. Youth and parents are left scrambling to find safe, consistent care.
Around 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ youth in California report feeling unsafe at school because of their gender identity. 1 in 5 experience delays in accessing gender-affirming care due to provider availability or political pressures.
There is another lifeline we can build and fund right now: peer-to-peer mental health and community support.
TCP’s Peer-to-Peer Youth Mental Health High School Pilot Demonstration is one example of the kind of impactful, quality support that can be found among peers.
Research consistently shows that peer support from other transgender and gender-diverse people improves well-being, reduces isolation, and helps young people survive and heal amid hostile policies. Peer programs are not a substitute for medical care. They are a proven, urgent complement that saves lives.
“Being a peer…healed me in so many ways, and I hope I could help someone heal with my help,” said an Antioch High School student who participated in TCP’s peer support program in the 2024-25 school year.
Honor trans lives by protecting their access to care, centering their voices, and building the peer networks that actually keep them safe.
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