With each political debate and bill that passes over transgender rights, parents and LGBTQ+ youth say they brace for the negative impact it may have on their mental health. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ teens and young adults between the ages 13 to 24 consider suicide each year. Ray Loux and his mother Shavahn have followed growing LGBTQ+ legislation across the country. The ACLU estimates there have been 420 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in the US just in the 2023 legislative session. There have been 11 in Kentucky. “It’s really scary. It’s scary that the government has the power to overstep to that level,” said Shavahn. For them, it’s much bigger than just a bill.