“The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that more than 80% of youth said that celebrities who are LGBTQ positively impact their feelings on being LGBTQ.
While representation onscreen certainly moves the needle forward toward acceptance, real people sharing their stories has an even larger impact.
"This is slightly different, because it’s not representation in a story or in a character, but it’s representation in a human being and their own story,” Chris Bright, director of public training at The Trevor Project, tells USA TODAY. “And to have somebody saying, ‘This is my truth. This is my story,’ means the world for a lot of trans and nonbinary youth who are struggling to find those role models and struggling to find people who identify in similar ways to them,” Bright says.“ 💞
If you or anyone you know needs help today, we’re here for you 24/7 at 866.488.7386 or text/chat: thetrevorproject.org/help 📲