In the time that has passed since the election results came out on Wednesday morning, November 6, LGBTQ+ call centers have been operating non-stop.
The Trevor Project, a West Hollywood-based nonprofit and one of the main organizations fielding the calls, put out in a November 10 press release that, by the end of the day after Donald Trump was announced to have won, the overall volume of calls had amounted to nearly 700 percent higher than the weeks prior leading into Election Day.
Unsurprisingly, an analysis of the full day of conversations revealed from Trevor Project’s classic crisis services (lifeline, chat, text) election-related conversations shot up to a whopping 5,200 percent November 6. “We anticipate this number will be at least maintained, and potentially increase,” the organization added in a follow-up statement.
No matter the crisis, it is important to communicate those thoughts and feelings to someone, be it a trusted friend, family member or professional in the clinical field.
Nathan Grant Smith, a professor of psychology at the University of Houston with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ people living with or affected by HIV, recently spoke to Hivplusmag.com for a November 8 article, on the issues at play causing stress in the LGBTQ+ community.
“Over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced this year alone,” Smith said. “Trans and queer people in the US are understandably worried about how the transphobic and homophobic rhetoric of the coming administration may impact their lives through even more upcoming legislation that limits their access to health care, engagement in everyday life, such as sports, using the restroom, and recognition of their relationships.”
In the same article, Thomas Banta, a clinical mental health counselor who used to work for a crisis text line and did crisis assessments for emergency rooms, also shared a bit of wisdom of how to be the shoulder that someone else can cry on.
“Listen to the whispers before they become screams,” Banta explained. “Be the safe person in their life they can … talk to. There’s no silver bullet, but just being listened to and having someone to share their pain with can be enormously helpful.
“Get connected with mental health services and use the tools available,” Banta continued. “Therapy and medication management can reliably reduce symptoms [of anxiety and depression].”
While we explored other counseling services in Qnotes recently, we felt it important to make this updated information available for our readers. Below is a list of additional LGBTQ+ resources if you or a loved one needs to share what they are feeling. In most cases, text and phone options are available.
Call Centers
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-TALK (8255)
Veterans: Press 1
Trans Lifeline
Support for Transgender People, by Transgender People
877-565-8860
SAGE LGBT Elder Hotline
Peer-support and local resources for older adults
888-234-SAGE (7243)
LGBT National Hotline
888-843-4564
BlackLine (for queer BIPOC community)
800-604-5841
DeQH Helpline (for queer South Asians)
908-367-3374
The Trevor Project Lifeline
866-488-7386
Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line
888-407-4515
StrongHearts Native Helpline (Centering Native Americans & Alaska Natives)
844-762-8483
To Text:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Text (or Call) 988
The Trevor Project
Text “TREVOR” to 1-202-304-1200 or “START” to 678-678
Crisis Text Line
Text “TALK” or “HOME” to 741-741 (English)
Text “AYUDA” to 741-741 (Spanish)
National Suicide Crisis Lifeline
Text “PRIDE” for LGBTQ+ Services