The Trevor Project Commends The Mormon Church For Calling For A Community Of Inclusion

Church Leaders Invited to Tour Suicide Prevention Call Center and Learn How to Protect Our LGBTQ Youth​

August 16, 2017 - The Trevor Project, the nation's only crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization focused on LGBTQ youth and a LoveLOUD festival beneficiary, today thanked the Mormon Church for their support of the concert and for calling for a community of inclusion.

"The Trevor Project commends the Mormon Church for calling for a community of inclusion and we hope to continue the dialogue to the point where religious institutions in this country stand for the full equality of all their members," said The Trevor Project's CEO and Executive Director Amit Paley.

The LOVELOUD Festival was created by Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds, who identifies as Mormon, to ignite the conversation of what it means to truly and unconditionally love, accept, understand, and support LGBTQ youth.  The concert benefits The Trevor Project, GLAAD, Encircle, and Stand4Kind.  It will be held Saturday, August 26 in Orem, Utah and will feature performances from Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, Krewella, Nicholas Petricca of Walk the Moon, Joshua James, and Aja Volkman. Watch Dan Reynolds talk about the Festival here. Limited tickets remain.

The Mormon Church released the following statement in support of the LOVELOUD Festival this morning:

"We applaud the LoveLoud Festival for LGBT youth's aim to bring people together to address teen safety and to express respect and love for all of God's children. We join our voice with all who come together to foster a community of inclusion in which no one is mistreated because of who they are or what they believe.  We share common beliefs, among them the pricelessness of our youth and the value of families. We earnestly hope this festival and other related efforts can build respectful communication, better understanding and civility as we all learn from each other."

Suicide is the number one cause of death for young people ages 11-17 in Utah and LGBTQ youth are more likely to consider and to attempt to kill themselves than their straight peers.  One supportive person in an LGBTQ youth's life reduces the risk of suicide by 30 percent.

"LGBTQ young people who contact our suicide prevention lines often cite religious condemnation and exclusion as a cause of crisis," Paley said. "We invite Church leaders to tour our call center and learn more about the causes of crisis articulated by youth reaching out to us."

Imagine Dragons lead singer and LoveLOUD founder Dan Reynolds said, "Mormons and people of orthodox faith should be able to come out and feel respected and loved and not feel like these are people saying, 'Hey, you need to change your beliefs.' But rather to say, 'How can we all be better and more loving and accepting?'"

The Trevor Project is available 24/7/365 for LGBTQ young people who need someone to talk with. Call the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. Text and chat counseling is available from 3-10pm EST every day at www.thetrevorproject.org/help.

The Trevor Project is the leading and only accredited national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people under the age of 25.  The Trevor Project offers a suite of crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as a peer-to-peer social network support for LGBTQ young people under the age of 25, TrevorSpace. Trevor also offers an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, a legislative advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and conducts research to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide. If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our Trevor Lifeline crisis counselors are available 24/7/365 at 866.488.7386. www.TheTrevorProject.org