#ustranssurvey

NCTE has just released the findings of their massive 2015 national survey, which reports on the experiences of over 27,000 trans and gender non-conforming Americans. For me, this data confirms hardships that the community has been struggling with all along, but this report is a huge step in getting these disparities recognized by institutions and policy makers, who are often more inclined to believe hard numbers over the reporting of personal lived experiences.

There is so much to unpack here, but I found this bit particularly striking: "More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents who had a job in the past year took steps to avoid mistreatment in the workplace, such as hiding or delaying their gender transition or quitting their job."

The implication of this finding is that the vast majority of trans people are fully aware that coming out at work may very well cost them their livelihoods, to the extent that this often means that they have to choose between living their lives and having an income to sustain themselves. That because employers are able to get away with discrimination so often that the steps that we take to protect our employment don't come in the form of self-advocacy or litigation, but in mortgaging our transition goals in order to keep our jobs. No wonder the unemployment rate for trans communities is three times higher than the overall US population. No wonder trans people are twice as likely to be living in poverty. No wonder 1 in 5 trans people reported participating in criminalized, underground economies in order to make money. And this is just a tiny fraction of the hardships that this survey reports on.

When we talk about oppression, we are not simply complaining about isolated cases where some guy said something mean on the train this one time. We are talking about systemic issues that pervade so many aspects of life in marginalized communities. I urge everyone to take a look at this data and begin to connect the dots.

It's time to complete the US Trans Survey!