Two Percent of High School Students Identify as Transgender, CDC Report Finds
February 08, 2019
According to national data, 35 percent of transgender high school students have attempted suicide in the past year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed students in 10 states and 9 large urban school districts and found that nearly two percent identified as transgender. The study also found that transgender students are more likely to experience violence and bullying than their non-transgender peers. This is the first time CDC has included a measure of transgender identity in its biennial survey of high school students. To help address health risks among vulnerable youth, CDC recommends that schools adopt anti-bullying policies and train staff how to support students who are struggling. “The CDC’s findings highlight the need for even more policies to protect transgender and gender nonconforming youth,” said Amit Paley, CEO of The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that provides crisis services for LGBTQ youth.
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