FROM A PRESS RELEASE
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) has released a comprehensive new report, "Injustice at Every Turn," that shows the depth of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people in a wide range of areas, including education, health care, employment, and housing.
Among the key findings are that:
Respondents were nearly four times more likely to live in extreme poverty, with household income of less than $10,000;
Respondents were twice as likely to be unemployed compared to the population as a whole. Half of those surveyed reported experiencing harassment or other mistreatment in the workplace, and one in four were fired because of their gender identity or expression;
While discrimination was pervasive for the entire sample, it was particularly pronounced for people of color. African-American transgender respondents fared far worse than all others in many areas studied;
Housing discrimination was also common. Nineteen percent reported being refused a home or apartment and 11 percent reported being evicted because of their gender identity or expression. One in five respondents experienced homelessness because of their gender identity or expression;
Approximately 41 percent of respondents reported attempting suicide, compared to only 1.6 percent of the general population;
Discrimination in health care and poor health outcomes were frequently experienced by respondents. Nineteen percent reported being refused care due to bias against transgender or gender-nonconforming people, with this figure even higher for respondents of color. Respondents also had over four times the national average of HIV infection;
Harassment by law enforcement was reported by 22 percent of respondents and nearly half were uncomfortable seeking police assistance; and
Despite the hardships they often face, transgender and gender non-conforming persons persevere. Over 78 percent reported feeling more comfortable at work and their performance improving after transitioning, despite the same levels of harassment in the workplace.
Said Rea Carey, executive director of the Task Force: "By shedding light on the discrimination that transgender Americans face, this study poses a challenge to us all. No one should be out of a job, living in poverty, or faced with sub-par health care simply because of their gender identity or expression. The scope of the problem is clear, and now we must come together to solve it."
A press conference for the NTDS report, "Injustice at Every Turn," was held Feb. 4 at the annual Creating Change conference, held this year in Minneapolis, Minn.