They’re Picking on Kids: The Crisis Facing LGBTQ+ Youth in Kentucky

By. Carolyn Hankins Wolfe

As the parent of an LGBTQ+ child, I’m always concerned. But lately, that concern feels like a constant alarm bell that never stops ringing. I worry about the bullying. I worry about the isolation. I worry about whether a teacher will protect them or punish them. I worry about the laws being passed in Frankfort by grown adults who seem hellbent on legislating my child out of existence.

I shouldn’t have to worry that my child is being targeted simply for existing. But here we are.

In 2024, nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide, and 1 in 8 attempted it, according to The Trevor Project. Those numbers climb even higher for transgender and nonbinary youth, especially those of color or living in rural communities like many parts of Kentucky. Behind every one of those numbers is a real kid—a kid like mine.

Legislation That Harms, Not Helps

Governor Andy Beshear put it bluntly:

“They’re picking on kids.”

And he’s right. Conservative extremists in the Kentucky General Assembly have introduced and passed legislation that explicitly targets LGBTQ+ youth in both schools and healthcare, stripping them of rights, dignity, and in many cases, access to life-saving support.

These attacks are not accidental. They’re political strategy. LGBTQ+ kids are being used as pawns to fire up a base and distract from real issues facing Kentucky families—things like underfunded schools, the housing crisis, and access to affordable healthcare.

Attacks on Education

Lawmakers have passed bills to:

• Ban discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms
  
  

• Restrict students' use of preferred names and pronouns
  
  

• Allow parents to opt their children out of LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula
  
  

• Encourage surveillance of educators who provide affirming spaces
  
  

These laws don’t “protect” anyone. They silence students and teachers. They isolate vulnerable kids. They make schools less safe. The classroom should be a place for learning—not fear.

Governor Beshear tried to protect our kids. In 2022, he issued an executive order banning the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth. Conversion therapy has been condemned by every credible mental health organization for its links to depression, anxiety, and suicide. But extremist lawmakers overturned Beshear’s executive action and effectively reinstated the practice in Kentucky—making us one of the few states where this form of child abuse is still permitted.

Let that sink in: They reversed a ban on torture, and they called it “freedom.”

This Crisis Isn’t Just in Frankfort—It’s Here at Home

We’ve seen this play out locally, too. At Boone County’s very first Pride celebration—a peaceful, family-friendly event meant to affirm and celebrate LGBTQ+ youth—one of our own county commissioners showed up to protest. Not to listen. Not to learn. To condemn. To weaponize his faith as a form of exclusion. He wasn’t just disagreeing—he was publicly praying against kids who were finally being seen and accepted.

And the youth saw it.

They saw an elected official trying to pray away their existence.
They saw power being used to shame them.
They saw, once again, that the adults in charge aren’t always safe.

This isn’t about theology—it’s about power. And the misuse of it.

The Real Freedom: Acceptance, Safety, and Mental Health

We talk a lot about “freedom” in this country. But what about the freedom to be yourself without fear? The freedom to go to school without being misgendered or bullied? The freedom to access the medical care your doctor and family agree is best for you?

That’s the freedom we should be fighting for. But instead, our LGBTQ+ youth are under siege—and it’s killing them.

The Warning Signs We Can’t Afford to Miss

If you’re a parent, teacher, coach, or friend, you need to know the signs that a young person is struggling:

• Sudden withdrawal from activities or social circles
  
  

• Expressions of hopelessness or feeling like a burden
  
  

• Drastic changes in mood, sleep, or eating habits
  
  

• Fixation on death, or giving away belongings
  
  

• Self-harming behaviors like cutting or burning
  
  

• Increased substance use as a coping mechanism
  
  

And perhaps the biggest warning sign: silence. Many LGBTQ+ youth have learned that sharing their truth can lead to punishment. So they hide. They suffer in quiet.

What We Must Do—Now

We can’t legislate love, but we can legislate harm. And that’s exactly what too many in our state government are doing. If we care about kids—all kids—we have to do better.

Here’s where we start:

• Elect leaders who understand the difference between governance and cruelty
  
  

• Demand that schools and libraries remain safe spaces for all students
  
  

• Support the professionals who affirm and protect LGBTQ+ youth—teachers, counselors, doctors
  
  

• Call your legislators. Tell them you won’t stand for policies that harm children to score political points
  
  

• Create safe spaces in your home, your church, your classroom—even if you're still learning—lead with compassion, not fear
  
  

Help Is Here

If a young person in your life is struggling, don’t wait. Be the support they need. And know that resources are available:

• The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth crisis support):
  📞 1-866-488-7386 | 📱 Text “START” to 678-678
  🌐 www.thetrevorproject.org
  
  

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
  📞 Call or text 988
  🌐 988lifeline.org
  
  

• Trans Lifeline (run by and for trans people):
  📞 1-877-565-8860
  🌐 translifeline.org
  
  

• NAMI Kentucky (Mental Health Advocacy & Support):
  📞 1-800-950-NAMI
  🌐 namiky.org
  
  

Every time the legislature pushes one of these cruel laws, I don’t think about politics. I think about my child. I think about their friends. I think about the kids I’ve met who flinch when asked their pronouns because they’ve been taught to expect punishment for honesty.

This is not about “parental rights.” It’s not about “protecting children.”
It’s about picking on kids.
It’s about punishing them for being different.
And it’s about time we said: Not in our schools. Not in our clinics. Not in our churches. Not in our county.

Because every child deserves to grow up knowing they are worthy, loved, and safe—no exceptions.