A new Australian study links a growing, toxic culture of anti-transgender hate online with higher rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts among trans Australians, who described the stigma they encountered online as “relentless,” “omnipresent,” and “inescapable.”
“We found that anti-trans content in the news and social media is close to unavoidable,” the study’s lead author, Dr. River Zwickl, told ABC in Australia.
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The study from the University of Melbourne, entitled “Mental health impacts of anti-trans stigma on transgender people in Australia: a mixed-methods study,” was published in Frontiers of Public Health this summer, and notes a widening gap of poor mental health outcomes for trans Australians compared to the general population over the last two decades.
An increase in negative attention to trans people over the last year on social media and in the news coincides with the Trump administration’s crusade against transgender identity in the US president’s second term.
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The research team surveyed 807 trans and gender-diverse Australians aged 16 and over, and asked participants if, where, and when they saw anti-trans remarks. Over 70% had seen or heard anti-trans stigma online multiple times a week in the previous month.
Researchers then compared the mental health outcomes for people who were exposed to the remarks multiple times a week to those who were exposed less frequently.
The correlation to poorer mental outcomes for the former group was “extraordinary,” Dr. Zwickl said.
Approximately 37% and 25% reported more anxiety and depression, respectively, compared to those less exposed to anti-trans stigma, the survey found. The group exposed to more was 33% more likely to report suicidal ideation, 38% more likely to report self-harm behavior, and a remarkable 43% more likely to report suicide planning.
“It’s certainly one of the highest, most clear findings in that respect between looking at an exposure and outcomes,” Dr. Zwickl said.
One study participant that ABC spoke with said they saw a clear increase or greater prominence of anti-trans stigma online in the last 12 months, as attacks on trans identity ripple from the US into Australia’s right-wing and around the world.
Avery (not their real name) said that while there had “always” been a lot of anti-trans content online, it’s only gotten worse over the last year.
“It’s deeply unpleasant and often quite upsetting,” they said, while voicing concerns about the impact the hateful content has on others, in particular young trans and gender-diverse people and their families.
The findings back up other research on the effects of rising anti-trans attacks online and in politics, with “legislation anxiety” plaguing trans people, and President Trump’s anti-trans crusade directly contributing to increased suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ young people.
Dr. Zwickl called for strengthening policy protections against online hate speech and for social media platforms to introduce greater protections for minority groups.
It’s a tough sell as “free speech” and censorship concerns tip the scales away from more online regulation.
One palliative lies in the research findings. Three in four trans participants had cut back on news media to avoid harmful content, Dr. Zwickl said. Those less exposed to online hate had better mental health outcomes.
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