each suicide death of rangatahi Māori between 2007 and 2011. Issues related to sexuality were significant in at least 7.2% of deaths, however this figure is likely to be an under-representation of SOGIESC diversity being a factor in rangatahi Māori suicide. Data from the General Social Survey show that bisexual people were less satisfied with life than those with other sexual orientations.215 35% of bisexual respondents experienced poor mental wellbeing, compared to 22% of straight/ heterosexual and 21% gay/lesbian people. Youth’12 found that students attracted to the same and both sexes are significantly more likely than students attracted to the opposite sex to show depressive symptoms, engage in deliberate selfharm, and attempt suicide (Figure 6).216 They were also more likely to use alcohol and other addictive substances (Figure 7).217 Counting Ourselves reported 71% of trans and non-binary participants had experienced high or very high rates of psychological distress in the last four weeks; almost nine times higher than the general population (8%), with the rate for disabled participants even higher at 92%.218 Youth’12 data for suicide rates supported this, showing 37% of trans participants had attempted suicide at some point; more than twice the rate reported by sameor both-sex attracted young people. The Ministry of Health’s 2019 Suicide Prevention Strategy names rainbow populations for the first time, calling for the development of guidance and resources with a specific focus on these communities.219 The previous strategy was described as “inappropriately conservative” on SOGIESC risk of suicide in a community submission on the draft.220 41% Significant depressive symptoms 12% Same/Both-sex attracted 60% Deliberately Self-harmed Plan to kill myself Attempted suicide Opposite-sex attracted 22% 38% 8% 18% 4% FIGURE 6: Mental health status of secondary school students (Source: Youth’12) Statistics New Zealand “New sexual identity wellbeing data reflects diversity of New Zealanders” (26 June 2019) <https://www.stats. govt.nz/>. 216 Mathijs Lucassen and others “Youth’12 The health and wellbeing of secondary school students in New Zealand: Results for young people attracted to the same sex or both sexes” (The University of Auckland, Auckland, 2014). 217 Ibid. 218 Jaimie Veale and others Counting Ourselves: The health and wellbeing of trans and non-binary people in Aotearoa New Zealand (Transgender Health Research Lab, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 2019). 219 Ministry of Health Every Life Matters – He Tapu te Oranga o ia Tangata: Suicide Prevention Strategy 2019–2029 and Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2019–2024 for Aotearoa New Zealand (10 September 2019). 220 Moira Clunie and others Suicide prevention and the rainbow population (2016). 215 39