BCBC - MondayMumblings - S1E013 - Transgender Current Issues

Introduction

Of month topic: Issues Facing Trans/Intersex/Bi

Of hosts

Date.

Note: .3-.5% of Americans = roughly 1,300,000 people

Note on the GLAAD "Understanding" reports and National Center for Transgender Equality.

Ways we'll be discussing the topic (Section Descriptions: Discrimination, Legal Challenges, Physical Safety)

Section 1 - Discrimination

Discrimination in Public Accommodations

Public accommodations are places accessible to the public, such as retail stores, restaurants, parks, hotels, libraries, movie theatres, and banks. In a 2014 study conducted in Massachusetts, 65% of transgender people reported experiencing discrimination in a place of public accommodation in the past 12 months.

Discrimination in Employment

Transgender people experience pervasive discrimination at work. Between 13% and 47% of transgender workers report being unfairly denied a job,9 and 78% report being harassed, mistreated, or discriminated against at work, as shown in

Currently, only 18 states have clear laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression (see Figure 3 on the next page).12 There is no federal law that explicitly prohibits discrimination against transgender employees, but there are some protections in place. Both the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have interpreted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination "because of sex," to protect transgender workers.

Discrimination in Housing.

one in five transgender people (19%) in the United States have been refused a home or apartment and more than one in ten (11%) have been evicted because of their gender identity.21 Homelessness is a critical issue for transgender people, with one in five having experienced homelessness at some time in their lives because of discrimination and family rejection

Discrimination in Education

Schools are difficult places for transgender students as they regularly face discrimination, bullying, and harassment in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions. In one survey, 40% of gender non-confirming youtha reported being frequently harassed by their peers and 37% reported frequent verbal harassment and name calling.26

Across the United States, only 13 states have laws that clearly protect students against discrimination because of their gender identity and/or expression

only 18 states expressly prohibit bullying on the basis of gender identity and/or expression (see Figure 6).29

A study in Massachusetts found that 19% of transgender respondents had postponed or avoided necessary care due to mistreatment or discrimination from health care workers.

Section 2 – Legal Challenges

Inaccurate Identity Documents

Official identity documents—such as drivers' licenses, birth certificates, and passports—that do not match a transgender person's gender identity greatly complicate that person's life. Non-matching identification can obstruct employment and travel, as well as expose transgender people to harassment, violence, refusal of service, job loss, and other problems.

Only one-fifth (21%) of transgender people who have transitioned to...