Commentary: How many queer people have to die?

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) President Dallin H. Oaks speaks during the afternoon session of the189th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Sunday April 7, 2019. I sat in my room with my head in my hands, sobbing, overwhelmed with grief on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018. A had just received word that a young gay man had died from a suicide attempt the previous day. This moment hit me and many others in our community like a sack of bricks.

Suicides are unfortunately common in the queer community. Everyone knows someone who has died from suicide, and most queer people at some point have attempted suicide.

This suicide, however, hit me…