Why does the United States post a much higher suicide rate than the Philippines, a country that’s poorer, more socially conservative, and heavily Catholic?
In this video, I break down the USA vs Philippines suicide rate gap, what the numbers actually measure (suicide deaths vs suicide attempts), and why easy political answers keep failing. I also get into suicide among transgender people the way the data really shows it, mostly through surveys of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, because most countries do not track transgender identity cleanly in death records.
I’ve lived in the Philippines daily for 14 months, and across Cebu Province I have not personally seen a single pride flag, rainbow flag, or transgender flag flying anywhere, including Cebu City. If transgender people exist across humanity naturally, then they exist here too. So why does “affirmation culture” not translate into a lower national suicide death rate in the U.S.?
We also compare religious affiliation and religious attendance in both countries, because the Philippines is more religious on paper and in practice, yet the U.S. still comes out worse on the suicide scoreboard.
If you’re struggling right now, please reach out. In the U.S., call or text 988. If you’re in the Philippines, contact local emergency services, a trusted local hotline, or the nearest hospital.
Helpful references:
https://988lifeline.org
https://www.thetrevorproject.org
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