The State of Girls & Nonbinary Youth in Maine

An intergenerational discussion of the 2021 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) Results

Content warning: This page includes resources, information and a video discussion of the following topics: depression, anxiety, suicide, sexual violence, sexism, racism, transphobia, and homophobia. We encourage page visitors to take care of their own wellness while viewing the content on this page.

Moderated By:

Adrienne Carmack
Executive Director
Hardy Girls

With Panelists:

Sheila Nelson
Program Manager of Adolescent Health and Injury Prevention
Maine CDC

Coltrane McRae
First year student at Arizona State
former Hardy Girls FAB co-president

Quinn Gormley
Executive Director
Maine TransNet

Sophie Mihm
Senior at Messalonskee HS
current Hardy Girls FAB member

Angie Dooley
School Counselor
MSAD 49 in Fairfield, ME

The purpose of the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) is to assess the health status of Maine youth, as well as the positive and negative attitudes and behaviors that influence healthy development. Data from the MIYHS can be used by schools, community organizations, and state agencies to plan and evaluate prevention programs and to provide the basis for grant applications. The MIYHS represents the collaborative effort of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) and the Maine Department of Education.

Across measures of mental health, experiences of violence and sexual violence, and feelings of support and safety, girls are struggling at disporportionate rates – LGBTQ+ and BIPOC girls and nonbinary youth even more so.

Download a copy of the  Hardy Girls MIYHS Data Overview guide (pdf format)

Learn more about the drivers of the data disparities between female- and male-identifying students in Maine and hear from youth and field experts as they discuss the way forward.

Some facts from the 2021 MIYHS:

  • Nearly 1 in 2 high school girls have felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing some usual activities – double the rate of boys. That rate increases for BIPOC and LGTBQ+ girls, and the rate is 3 in 4 trans students.
  • Less than half of girls in middle and high school feel like they matter to their community.
  • 22% of high school girls and 36% of trans high school students have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime.
  • Girls are less likely to feel safe in school than boys and less likely to feel safe traveling to and from school.
  • The rate of self-harm among high school girls was greater than 4 times that of high school boys.

To read the 2021 MIYHS Report, visit https://www.maine.gov/miyhs/2021-results

Replay Video

Resources

Mental Health Hotlines:
Maine Crisis Line: 1-888-568-1112, Web link

Sexual Violence Response and Prevention:
Sexual Assault Helpline & Chat: 1-800-871-7741

Youth Activism andAdvocacy:

Hardy Girls
Maine Youth Action Network
Maine Youth for Climate Justice
Young People’s Caucus
Folks Organizing Reform for Queer Spaces (FORQS) (IG: @maineforqs)
Maine Youth Power (voting advocacy)
Equality Community Center (LGBTQ+ Nonprofit resource/advocacy

Have other resources you want to share? Email info@hardygirls.org with your suggestions for this list.

For Queer and Trans Youth:


For BIPOC Youth: