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WHEREAS, gender identity is a person's experience of their own gender, their innermost concept of self as masculine, feminine, a blend of both, another gender(s), or none, which is not always congruent with the biological sex or gender assigned at birth; and,
WHEREAS, a person who does not feel that their gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth might identify as transgender (or trans), under which identity other labels, such as genderqueer, gender non-conforming, gender creative, and nonbinary, can also be found; and,
WHEREAS, transgender youth are important and valued members of Pittsburgh, including in our schools, and it is the responsibility of all adults, cisgender and trans, to protect their physical, emotional, and mental welfare and to promote all possibilities for them their growth and flourishing in our community; and,
WHEREAS, some trans students and youth must keep their identity secret for their own safety at school, at home, and in the community; and,
WHEREAS, trans youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk by societal mistreatment and stigma; and,
WHEREAS, a 2020 peer-reviewed study by The Trevor Project's researchers, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that trans youth were 2 to 2.5 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide, and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers; and,
WHEREAS, trans youth rejected by their families of origin or religious communities thought about or attempted suicide at a markedly higher rate in the past year; and,
WHEREAS, homelessness and housing instability are reported at higher rates among trans youth, including 38% of transgender girls/women, 39% of transgender boys/men, and 35% of nonbinary youth, compared to 23% of cisgender LGBQ youth; and,
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh trans youth report transphobic and hurtful experiences in thei...
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