Arizona LGBTQIA+ high school, college students say their ‘lives could change’ with presidential election

Vin Testa, of Washington, D.C, waves an LGBTQIA pride flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in June 2023. Some Arizona LGBTQIA+ students say they feel like their issue priorities have not been adequately addressed by either presidential candidate. (File photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

PHOENIX – When Avery changed their name, it was a moment their life changed for the better. Their mom told them to hop on a surprise Zoom call, and Avery joined to an interesting sight.

“I saw the guy in the robes and with a gavel, and I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, this is probably a thing that involves me,’” said Avery, who is a transgender nonbinary high school student in Arizona.

The judge proceeded to change their name.

“It was really good. … It was just like the feeling when things after that are just going to be good,” Avery said. Cronkite News is not using Avery’s last name to protect the identity of a minor.

Having their name changed was one of the moments they were the happiest in regard to their identity. They remain worried about options for transgender and nonbinary people being taken away.

“There is a politician running in this race, the presidential race, who wants to make it so that stuff like that, stuff like getting hormones can’t happen,” Avery said. “That’s just not cool with me when that’s the part of my transition that made me feel the most like myself.”

Former President Donald Trump has said he is against gender-affirming care, that only two genders are assigned at birth and that he supports the “creation of a private right of action for victims to sue doctors” who perform gender-affirming care procedures on minors.

Gender-affirming care is supported by the the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association, which represent millions of medical professionals, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2022 found access to gender-affirming hormone therapy “is significantly related to lower rates of depression and suicidality among transgender and nonbinary youth.”

Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, was asked by NBC News during an interview on Oct. 23 if she believes transgender Americans should have access to gender-affirming care.

“I believe we should follow the law,” Harris said in response.

Avery said they want both candidates to be clear about their positions on issues.

“I feel like in every election, there’s one side that tries to skate around answers. ‘I’m not a doctor, so I can’t give what I think on medical advice,’ and there’s another side that weaponizes it,” Avery said.

Bryce Askew, a senior at Arizona State University studying chemical engineering, is the chair of Young Democratic Socialists of America at ASU (YDSA ASU) and identifies as a nonbinary man.

They said the Trump rally on Oct. 24 in Tempe made a lot of transgender people in YDSA ASU “not feel safe.” Askew said they haven’t been pleased with the Democratic Party’s lack of response to “right-wing hatred and bigotry.”

Harris’ campaign site says she will “fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law.”

The Equality Act is congressional legislation that prevents discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Ryan Spencer, a junior at the University of Arizona and the president of the university’s Young Democrats, said being gay is one of the reasons he gained interest in politics.

“Every day this week, I’ve been trying to volunteer for the Kamala Harris campaign,” Spencer said last week. “I’ve had experiences where … people just kind of don’t care. I talk to them, and I feel like people come out of the conversation caring a little bit more than I did before.”

Axel, a transgender high school student in Arizona who is the president of his school’s gay-straight alliance, said he has seen a lot of support for Harris. Cronkite News is not using Axel’s last name to protect the identity of a minor.

“I’ve heard from the majority of my fellow students, especially from the GSA club, that they’re overwhelmingly hoping that Kamala will win,” Axel said. “The policies of the two candidates are very different from each other, and depending on the outcome of the election, I think that our lives could change possibly drastically.”

What LGBTQIA+ youth say about politics influencing their lives is born out by data, too.

The Trevor Project, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQIA+ people and suicide prevention, conducted a 2024 national survey on the mental health of LGBTQIA+ youth and found that “90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics.”

It also found 39% of LGBTQ+ young people “seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year,” and there is a “significant association between anti-LGBTQ+ victimization and disproportionately high rates of suicide risk.”

Yet, even with these struggles, LGBTQIA+ Arizona students are still finding joy and looking forward to the future.

Axel has bonded with his friends over similar experiences and LGBTQIA+ movies, and he enjoys different kinds of art. He plans on double majoring in international affairs and political science and wants to minor in French.

“I would like my life to make a positive difference on the humanitarian aspect of the world,” Axel said.

However, he said even that aspect of his life is affected by politics, as state politics influence where he wants to go to college. He said he would not go to Texas or Florida, but that he would be open to states like Oregon, Michigan and California.

Avery finds joy in reading, singing and playing the guitar. They potentially want to write in the future, and they also have interest in joining the military.

“I’ve always been interested in the military, but again, that depends on the elections, because how this could go could change how people are able to sign up and what people are allowed to sign up for the military,” they said.

Avery’s mom, Kristi, said she is encouraged by young people who embrace others and stand up for those who are being treated poorly.

“I would really love to think the majority of people in this country would love our kids if they knew who they were, if they got to know them,” Kristi said.

When asked what message they would send to Arizona voters if they could say anything to them before Tuesday’s elections, Avery thought for a moment before answering.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say something that would try to sway sides,” they said. “If someone thinks that they’re going to be voting red, I’m not going to say anything to try to change their mind. What I would say is vote for who you think will represent your ideals best,” they said.

Axel responded with different advice for voters.

“I think that if you are a part of any minority, I think you should really be on the lookout for who you’re voting for and their policies and personal beliefs,” Axel said. “You might not agree with transgender and you might agree with the anti-trans bills … but once they finish attacking transgender people, who do you think is going to be next?”

He also encouraged voters to not just listen to what politicians are telling them, but also to “really look into their policies, look into the facts.”

Polls are openTuesday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Arizona. Anyone in line before 7 p.m. is allowed to vote. Voters can find their polling location by going to my.arizona.vote.