Target: Cecile Erwin Young, Executive Commissioner of The Texas Department of Health and Human Services
Goal: Provide suicide prevention resources for LGBTQ youths on your website.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services has removed LGBTQ suicide preventions from their website. Out of all four suicide prevention resources, the only one to be removed was The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. Now LGBTQ youths in Texas cannot access a phone number, text line, or website link to the only suicide prevention resource listed on the department of health’s site. This is putting many young people in danger and takes away a safe place for them to speak openly about what they are going through.
The executive commissioner for The Texas Department of Health and Human Services, Cecile Erwin Young, was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott. Abbott has a history of politically attacking the LGBTQ community. He believes parents of transgender youth should be deemed as “child abusers” for allowing them to take hormones or going through any gender affirming surgeries. During a time that the LGBTQ community is the target for hateful politics, this becomes an even more dangerous situation for the LGBTQ community in Texas. Sign the petition below to keep LGBTQ youth safe and allow them to gain access for mental health help in Texas.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Executive Commissioner Young,
Removing The Trevor Project from The Texas Department of Health and Human Services is an attack on LGBTQ youth in Texas. These children and teens need to be protected and have safe spaces to access help if needed. During a time of targeted political hate and attacks on the community, removing a suicide prevention resource specifically made for LGBTQ youth becomes a dangerous move.
We demand you provide LGBTQ youth the access to resources for mental health and stop the hateful attacks on the community.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: naeimasgary
Shoutout to Sydney for always standing up for the community.