In the United States, one study has shown the passage of laws that are said to be discriminatory against LGBTQ people may have significant negative impacts on the physical and mental health of LGBTQ youth. For example, depression and drug use among LGBTQ people have been shown to increase significantly after the passage of laws which are considered discriminatory.[3] By contrast, the passage of laws that recognize LGBTQ people as equal with regard to civil rights, such as laws supporting same-sex marriage, may have significant positive impacts on the physical and mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth.
Bullying of LGBTQ youth is a contributing factor in many suicides, even if not all of the attacks have been specifically regarding sexuality or gender.[4] Since a series of suicides in the early 2000s, more attention has been focused on the issues and underlying causes in an effort to reduce suicides among LGBTQ youth. Research by the Family Acceptance Project has demonstrated that "parental acceptance, and even neutrality, with regard to a child's sexual orientation" can bring down the attempted suicide rate.[5][6]
^Savin-Williams, Ritch C (1994). "Verbal and physical abuse as stressors in the lives of lesbian, gay male, and bisexual youths: Associations with school problems, running away, substance abuse, prostitution, and suicide". Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 62 (2): 261–269. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.62.2.261. PMID8201062.
^Bagley, Christopher; Tremblay, Pierre (2000). "Elevated rates of suicidal behavior in gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth". Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention. 21 (3): 111–117. doi:10.1027//0227-5910.21.3.111. PMID11265836.