MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts interviews today psychologist Mark Hatzenbuehler, Ph.D., of Columbia University, who authored the study released Monday that found that gay and straight teens who live in socio-politically conservative areas are more likely to attempt suicide, and the degree of an area’s political conservatism reflects the degree teens — gay or straight — are likely to attempt suicide. Conversely, the study found, the rate at which teens attempt suicide decreases with the more liberal an area is, defined by the number of Democrats and same-sex couples, along with gay-straight alliances, and anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies that specifically protect lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in schools.
READ: “Gay And Straight Teen Suicide Attempts Higher In Conservative Regions“
The New Civil Rights Movement interviewed Hatzenbuehler Monday, who told us, it’s important to “create these environments for gay youth health,†because the study proves that “if you care about the health of gay youth, you are improving the health of straight youth, too.â€