A new State of the State Report report finds LGBTQ+ youth in North Dakota are at greater risk than the general youth population.

“Not only are their experiences of trauma higher, but they are often less likely to have access to

fundamental needs like food, housing, and love,” says Faye Seidler, report author and North

Dakota suicide prevention advocate, Moorhead, Minnesota. “Our state has no direct intervention for support and, at times, is hostile to helping these kids out.”

The comprehensive report analyzes the data compiled through the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which North Dakota conducts in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. North Dakota students in grades 7-8 and 9-12 are administered a voluntary, anonymous survey questionnaire in odd-numbered years. Schools, teachers, public health professionals, community leaders, and policymakers in North Dakota use the survey data for decision making, evaluation and planning.

The new report, based on 2023 data, finds LGBTQ+ students in North Dakota are more likely to self harm and have suicidal ideations.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, other or questioning students in middle and high school make up 19% of students, while transgender or students questioning gender identity in middle and high school make up 4% of students. Meanwhile, the number of LGBTQ+ students reporting suicide attempts was 1,014, or 46% of all self-reported youth suicide attempts.

They are also at higher risk for substance abuse, more likely to struggle with mental health and school grades, more likely to be sexually active and have experienced sexual violence and bullying. They are more likely to go hungry at home and less likely to eat healthy, engage in physical activity or have stable housing, the report stated.

While 57% of transgender students and 42% of LGB students reported experiencing bullying at school and online because of their identities, 8% of straight students said they were bullied based on a perception they were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Thirty-seven percent of transgender students and 12% of LGB students indicated they skipped school at least one day in the previous month because they felt unsafe.

Data that trends favorably for transgender students, specifically at the high school level, is in getting the help needed when asking for it. However, while most high school students have one adult they can talk to, middle school LGBTQ+ youth are less likely to have that social capital or get the help they need, the report showed.

“My hope is that policymakers, educators, and community members, read the report and consider how they can support our LGBTQ+ youth,” Seidler said. “Even one trusted and supportive adult can make a big impact.”