http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/19/young-transgender-suicide-attempts-survey

Suicide rates in transgender people has always been a subject close to my heart. Many years ago I tried to find the statistics for the UK but they did not exist. After months of research I found 97 in one year and most were under 19 years old , the youngest was just 10.

That prompted me to walk into a newspaper office in Norfolk were I was living at the time. I asked if they would run an article on it and the response was , why? . I explained that I had found 97 known cases in the UK and he told me it is not the kind of thing our readers would be interested in. Me not letting up asked him why not they were 97 human beings?. He asked me what I hoped to gain from this? My response was to raise awareness. He still insisted it was not the kind of thing the readers would be interested in. So I asked him if 97 young people were killed in a plane crash would you run that story?. He then caved in and told me he would run the story but only on the condition he could use me as an example. I agreed and the next day my ugly mug was on the front page.

I have had a lot of contact with the Sheffield Hallam University over the years which is in the link Marissa posted. I still to this day do not know how they got hold of my phone number as I always forget to ask once in conversation. The youngest one I found was as I said just 10. He had been telling his teachers he did not feel like a boy and he was a girl. That was all brushed away by the teachers telling him it was a phase. He/she walked out of school on the last day of term after speaking again to a teacher , he was found hanging in his bedroom by his parents that day.

At a recent presentation I gave to over 100 teachers and trainee's I did not ask them to look for the signs I told them to. After only a few parts of my school life were revealed some of them were reduced to tears. I never allowed my teachers to see me cry so that day I turned the tables! I reduced adult teachers to tears.

You all take care , Julia x

I have a history of suicidal thoughts and issues myself, and while it wasn't related to trans issues I can certainly understand why it came to these kids' minds as a possible idea.

I grew up with an undiagnosed mental illness that made me very awkward around my peers and teachers, so I got bullied pretty badly for it.
I felt like I wasn't supposed to exist, that I was a mistake, that I was supposed to be in some different form in order to feel right simply because THEY didn't approve of me.

To grow up in an environment that constantly tells you 'you aren't accepted for who you are' you get it in your head that you're better off dead, and it's horrible. 

Suicide in any human trans or not is out of control in this world. It is higher in certian groups and trans is one example of the highest rate. I find it so sad that it is so high in young people who could have had a whole life ahead of them with just a bit of support and empathy.

Some of the things that have happened to me even here on GS could have pushed a younger person over the edge. People who have had suicidal thoughts should be very carefull who they mix with in real life and the internet. On the internet the one's dishing out the insults and playing bully enjoy it from what they think is the safety of their home. You are not better off being dead but I can think of a few I would like to see the back of if they cannot change their ways.

Take care , Julia x

The US figures are 48%.  This is quite high, but remember that religion is quite a major part of life over there.  Add to this the general American conservativism and there is a lot of social and religious presure placed on anybody who does not fit in with this strict picture of American youth.  In the UK, from what I have been able to find, I believe that the figure is closer to 28%.  This would seem to be quite high, but not really considering that many young people find it hard during teenage years.  Tryting to find out who you are and being allowed to be that person is traumatic for many.  This is especially true for transgender teens.

My own teanage years were not bed of roses and I tried a mixture of alcohol and sleeping pills to solve my problems.  Furtunately I puked before I could do too much damage (I never was a great drinker).  Just as well or we would be doing this via ouiji board.  The main thing that I remember was that I felt alien and alone and just generally in pain.  My main motivation was that I wanted the pain to stop and could not face the prospect of another 50 or so years feeling like that.  

That was a long time ago and I can say that I am happy that I was able to pull myself together.  However, painfull memories, even now, so I will shut up about it.  But if anybody wants to talk about their own issues, PM me.

Alice