In part one of this series on trans issues I discussed appropriate and inappropriate terminology to use or avoid when talking about trans issues and/or about trans people. Today, let’s focus on two major issues trans people face that cisgender people (people who identify with the gender with which we were assigned at birth) find ourselves privileged enough to avoid. As with part one, this is not an exhaustive list for there are, sadly, many other issues to be accounted for.
Discrimination
According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (2011), 90% of transgender people have either experienced employment discrimination or were forced to hide their identities to avoid discrimination. The same survey also indicated that of transgender people who were ‘out’ at school, 78% reported bullying and 53% reported verbal harassment in public.
Health care
As hinted at in part one of this series, transgendered people often face discrimination in health facilities. The forms that one has to fill-out before being seen by a physician often only include two genders: male and female. This layout is non-inclusive. The aforementioned survey found that 19% of people were denied medical care because of the way that they identified or expressed their identity, and nearly 30% were harassed in the health care facility. The problem that results from these situations is fear of harassment drives many of transgendered people away from getting the care they need when they’re ill and need medical attention.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders still treats non-normative gender identification as a mental disorder. This, like the other health care issues trans people face, has in part to do with the general lack of knowledge among health care professionals about trans-related care.
I hope that this information promotes trans awareness in a way conducive to change. Institutional equality is only one step in the right direction toward equality for all.
