Genderqueer – David Mariner

Gender and Sexuality Pride Flags

December 4, 2022August 18, 2022 by David Mariner

Here is a quick guide to some of the most common flags used in the LGBT community (and beyond) to describe gender and/or sexuality related identities. While definitions are provided for reference, please know definitions of many of these terms are evolving and changing all the time. I encourage you to explore these identities further to learn more.

Agender Pride Flag

Agender refers to a person A person who does not identify themselves as. having a particular gender. The Agender Pride Flag was designed by Salem X in 2014.

The flag features a mirrored design of seven horizontal stripes. The black and white stripes represent an absence of gender, the gray stripe represents semi-genderlessness and the central green stripe represents nonbinary genders.

Asexual Pride Flag

An aromantic is a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Where romantic people have an emotional need to be with another person in a romantic relationship, aromantics are often satisfied with friendships and other non-romantic relationships. An asexual person may or may not experience romantic attraction (see aromantic) but will feel no need to act out that attraction sexually.

In the Summer of 2010, a number of asexuality sites, led by users on AVEN, came up with a number of designs for an asexuality flag, then held a multi-stage vote to determine the winner. The selected design was created by AVEN user standup

Aromantic Pride Flag

There are two different versions of the Aromantic Pride Flag. This is the one currently most commonly used.

Bisexual Pride Flag

Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior toward more than one sex or gender identity, or romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity; this latter aspect is sometimes termed pansexuality.

The bisexual pride flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. The first bisexual pride flag was inspired by his work with BiNet USA.

Bear Pride Flag

In male gay culture, a bear is often a larger, hairier man who projects an image of rugged masculinity. Bears are one of many LGBT communities with events, codes, and a culture-specific identity. In many communities bear clubs” have been created to provide social and sexual opportunities. Many clubs are loosely organized social groups; others are modeled on leather biker-patch clubs, with a strict set of bylaws, membership requirements, and charities. Craig Byrnes created the Bear pride flag in 1995.

Genderqueer Pride Flag

Genderqueer describes a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders. The Genderqueer Pride Flag was created by Marilyn Roxie in 2011. This flag has also been adopted by many in the Gender Non-Binary community. While some currently use these two terms interchangeably, others maintain genderqueer and gender non-binary have overlapping, but separate definitions.

Intersex Flag

Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. There are two distinct flags commonly associated with intersex identities. The first one (not pictured here) is derivative of the Trans Pride flag and is not used as commonly these days. The flag shown here was created by Intersex Australia in 2013.

Lesbian Pride Flag

While there have been different versions of the Lesbian Pride Flag over the years, this is the one most commonly used today. Emily Gwen created this flag in 2018 based on the lickstick lesbian flag . This flag retained the seven stripes from the lipstick flag, but changed the top set to orange shades. The stripes, from top to bottom, represent ‘gender non-conformity’ (dark orange), ‘independence’ (orange), ‘community’ (light orange), ‘unique relationships to womanhood’ (white) , ‘serenity and peace’ (pink), ‘love and sex’ (dusty pink), and ‘femininity’ (dark rose).

Leather Pride Flag

Leather culture is most visible in gay communities and most often associated with gay men (“leathermen”), but it is also reflected in various ways in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight worlds. Many people associate leather culture with the consensual exchange of power in romantic and/or sexual relationships. The leather flag was created by Tony DeBlase in 1989. He first presented the design at the International Mister Leather event in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. on May 28, 1989.

Nonbinary Pride Flag

Kye Rowan created the nonbinary pride flag in 2014. It was meant to be flown alongside the genderqueer flag. 17-year-old Kyle Rowan created the binary flag for existing outside binary which is symbolized by the yellow. The white represents all genders, black is no gender, and purple is a mix of genders.

Pansexual Pride Flag

Pansexuals have the capability of attraction to others regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.

A pansexual could be open to someone who is male, female, transgender, intersex, or agendered/genderqueer.

Poly Pride Flag

Polyamory is the philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time. Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.

The flag was created by Jim Evans.

The Rainbow Flag

This is the inclusive flag most frequently associated with the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, & questioning communities. The original gay pride flag flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978 and was designed by Gilbert Baker. The original Rainbow Flag had an additional hot pink stripe that is no longer used today.

Progress Pride Flag

Graphic designer Daniel Quasar has added a five-colored chevron to the LGBT Rainbow Flag to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression”.

The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized LGBT communities of color, along with the colors pink, light blue and white, which are used on the Transgender Pride Flag. Quasar’s design builds on a design adopted by the city of Philadelphia in June 2017. Philadelphia’s version added black and brown stripes to the top of the Rainbow Flag, to represent LGBT communities of color.

Transgender Pride Flag

Transgender is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate. Gender identity is a person’s internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman (or someone outside of that gender binary). For transgender people, the sex they were assigned at birth and their own internal gender identity do not match. The Trans Pride flag was designed by Monica Helms in 1999

Straight Ally Flag

A straight ally or heterosexual ally is a heterosexual and/or cisgender person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBT social movements, and challenges homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

1.2 million LGBTQ adults in the US identify as nonbinary

February 21, 2022 by Guest Columnist

Williams Institute Press Release: An estimated 11% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S.—approximately 1.2 million people—identify as nonbinary, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. The majority of them are under age 29, urban, and white.

Using data from two nationally representative surveys, Generations and TransPop, researchers examined the demographics and characteristics of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. ages 18-60 who identified as nonbinary in terms of their gender. Results show that nearly one-third of transgender adults identify as nonbinary. However, many cisgender LGBTQ adults also identify as nonbinary—approximately 58% of all nonbinary LGBTQ adults are cisgender and 42% are transgender.

The majority of nonbinary adults reported using queer (31%), bisexual (17%), pansexual (17%), or asexual (14%) to describe their sexual orientation.

“Nonbinary people make up a substantial part of the LGBTQ community, and they appear to experience similar kinds of vulnerabilities seen in the larger LGBTQ population,” said lead author Bianca D.M. Wilson, Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. “More research is needed to understand whether there are unique needs among cisgender and transgender nonbinary people compared to each other and to their binary-identified LGBTQ counterparts.”

Key Findings

Demographics and socioeconomic characteristics

Most nonbinary adults were born in the U.S. (96%). Most are between the ages of 18-29 (76%) and urban (89%).
Nonbinary adults represent a range of racial/ethnic identities (approximately 58% white, 16% multiracial, 15% Latinx, 9% Black, and 2% AAPI, American Indian, and other groups).
Among nonbinary LGBTQ adults, 42% identify as transgender, 39% identify as cis LBQ, and 19% identify as cisgender GBQ.
Nonbinary adults report relatively high indicators of economic instability: 68% report not having enough money to make ends meet and 57% live in low-income households below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Victimization and stress

55% of nonbinary people were hit, beaten, physically attacked, or sexually assaulted at some point since they were 18 years old.
82% of them faced emotional abuse as a child, and 53% report that they were bullied often as a child.
11% of nonbinary people were exposed to conversion therapy as a child.

Health

41% of nonbinary adults report that their health is poor or fair.
51% of them had symptoms consistent with serious mental illness, and 39% had attempted suicide.

“Identities and terms related to gender and sexuality shift across time,” said study author Ilan H. Meyer, Distinguished Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. “Our study found nonbinary adults tend to be younger, but as the use and acceptance of gender nonbinary terms continues to grow, we may see changes in numbers and characteristics of LGBTQ nonbinary people.”

The Generations Study examines the health and well-being of cisgender and nonbinary LGBQ people. The TransPop Study is the first nationally representative survey of transgender individuals in the U.S., defined as individuals who stated that their current gender identity (e.g., man, woman, transgender) was different than their sex assigned at birth (male, female) across all sexual orientations.

Read the report

photograph by Steve Rainwater

Jonathan Van Ness Gets Curious

February 6, 2022 by Guest Columnist

Jonathan Van Ness Gets Curious
The ‘Queer Eye’ grooming expert’s new Netflix show explores everything from bugs to being nonbinary
By Chris Azzopardi

Before I talk to Jonathan Van Ness about their new Netflix show, “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” they take me on a little on-camera adventure that involves them “needing cuter light.”

They do a 180 with the computer. They swivel in their chair. “I need more natural light in my life, I’m sorry,” they say, still shifting and “getting comfortable.”

And then once they find that magical spot where the light hits their face in just the right place, the 34-year-old “Queer Eye” grooming expert grooms their computer, gently wiping the lens with a tissue. If you’re going to wear what they’re wearing — it appears to be a chiffon kaftan — you don’t want a dusty ol’ lens muddying its bright pink radiance, honey.

“I did an outfit change for you,” they say, having slipped into their new, flowier ensemble just before our interview.

Van Ness, who is also a children’s book author and one of just a few openly nonbinary public figures, rocks an entire closet of gender-nonconforming fashion on Season 6 of “Queer Eye,” which hit Netflix on New Year’s Eve 2021. On their new six-episode series, a TV adaptation of their podcast “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” the multi-hyphenate even has an entire episode devoted to gender identity.

Featured in the episode, titled “Can We Say Bye-Bye to the Binary?,” are gender nonconforming activist Alok Vaid-Menon and Geo Neptune, the first two-spirit elected official in the state of Maine. With Van Ness, who says they hadn’t even heard the term nonbinary until the age of 30, Vaid-Menon and Neptune explore what their identity means to them and the history of our rigid gender binary. The show also intends to open up minds on other topics as well, such as why bugs aren’t so bad, figure skating’s minority barriers and, naturally, an entire episode on the history of coifs called “Why Is Hair So Major?”

All aglow through a freshly cleaned computer camera, Van Ness spoke to me about the “sense of ease” they feel now, a dream “Getting Curious” guest star they’re not sure they could form words around, and their very personal reason for being completely theirself around young queer people.

I watched a lot of “Getting Curious” yesterday and wanted to thank you for modeling curiosity, first of all. I think as adults we tend to lose our imagination and we just accept some things for the way that they are. Is that what you felt going into the show

Well, I started “Getting Curious,” the podcast, in 2015. I’ve always been someone who loves to learn, and I’m just a very curious person. And I clearly love talking. So the idea — wanting to understand the world around me better — has been something that’s existed within me for as long as I can remember. So that was definitely something that I wanted the opportunity to break down on the Netflix stage ’cause it’s a very big stage.

And I wanted to bring a more visual, multi-medium, multifaceted world in which the podcast — but as a TV show — could live. So I’m just really excited that we got the opportunity and that Netflix believed in me enough and that we can go explore the world together. So I’m just really excited that I have the opportunity and I hope everyone loves it.

You mention Netflix being a big stage, which it is. Is that why you were like, “You know what? We are gonna do an entire episode devoted to nonbinary and gender nonconforming people”?

Yeah. Being someone who is nonbinary is something that I think I’ve been my entire life. I only had language for it in these last few years. But the amount of trans misogyny that I’ve had to endure and live through in my own life pales in comparison to some of the trans misogyny that other people have had to go through within our community and within our trans community, specifically.

However, I wanted to humanize us. And it’s not only my job to do this, obviously. But I wanted to have a time where we could talk and be together and learn together and just have that humanity, ’cause I think so often we are portrayed in this way that it’s just not human. It’s only around, like, violence or this feeling of, trans people are coming for our way of life. Or trans people are coming for tradition. Or trans people are coming for sports. Or trans people are coming for public safety, or whatever it is.

And I wanted to show people that we are human and we are all sorts of different things that are not threatening, and actually very beautiful and amazing and are just as natural as the grass or rain. You know, we’ve been here forever. And I was really excited to get an opportunity to share that information.

There aren’t a lot of nonbinary public figures in the world, and you seem to be aware of that as you’ve been using your platform to really educate people.

Absolutely. I think that for me, being someone who was very mercilessly bullied all throughout my childhood and formative educational years, I’ve always been very moved by this thought of, “If I could make it easier for other people like me or put a little bit of an end to other people’s suffering, it would make my suffering more worth it.” And so I’ve always liked the idea of using what I’ve learned to help make other people’s lives easier.

I love that you said that because my colleague, whose queer son loves you, wanted to know how you feel when it’s a kid who looks to you as a huge inspiration as they’re navigating their own gender and identity.

That’s a really good question. I think sometimes when I see much younger children, like in my standup comedy show, I just feel immediately guilty. I’m like, “Oh my god. I hope I don’t traumatize them, honey, ’cause we are going there tonight.” So in that sense, it can be a little bit harder, but so often I think about Margaret Cho when I think about how I want to live my life as a public figure. I was introduced to her work at a very young age. I was maybe 10 or 11 when I first saw one of her specials on Comedy Central. And she did not hold back. She was herself. She _is_ herself. She’s a full-bodied version of herself. And look at how I turned out. I’m fine.

So I just feel like I wanna be myself. I don’t wanna totally limit my art or my creativity thinking about, like, “Oh my gosh, is this gonna be too much for someone?” I feel honored that people of any age would look to me and find more self-love, more self-acceptance, more comedy, more joy. More curiosity. So I think I wanna think about that because if I think about, like, “Oh my gosh, I’m a role model for a lot of young people,” and even just success in general, if I thought about it too much, I would become really full of anxiety and unsure of what to do. And so I think in order for me to stay connected to myself and my own vision, I have to not think too much about the way that it’s gonna be received.

Do you have moments in your mind where you’re like, “What would this have meant to little Jonathan growing up in Quincy, Illinois?”

Very much. And sometimes that’s actually another one of those feelings where sometimes I think if I felt that feeling all the way, I know I’d just be in a corner crying because I can’t believe that I’ve been able to do this with my life. But I do hope that other young people seeing me achieve what I’ve been able to achieve in my career won’t find it so shocking when they achieve their dreams. Because for me growing up, I felt like it was unheard of. I didn’t think that I was ever gonna see someone like me be so successful and beloved and accepted and able to create their own projects. It really is such an honor. And I want other people, especially young people, to look at me and think that they can do it too.

Is this your first season on “Queer Eye” identifying openly as nonbinary?

I came out about being nonbinary in 2019, before we filmed Season 5, but I don’t know if me talking about it in that season made it to air.

I wondered because you are fully yourself this season in a way that I hadn’t really seen before. You’re really embodying your whole self, even down to the fashion. Did you feel differently this season?

Yeah. I think it’s just been such a fast four years, you know? From shooting Season 1 and 2 in Atlanta in 2017, which is when we actually shot that, and then Season 3 and 4, which we shot in 2018, really soon after the show had come out. Season 1 and 2 we shot together. Season 3 and 4, together. And then 5 was its own thing. And then 6 was its own thing. And so each one of those chunks I feel like I was in just a wholly different life situation every single time. Just neck-spraining differences in life situations. So I do think that the season between being married and … definitely this was the first season where I was public about my HIV status. Just very public in all of the things. And so I think that that maybe did lead to just a more overall sense of ease.

In “Getting Curious,” you’ve got some great guest stars, including Rachel Dratch, Lea DeLaria and Michelle Kwan. Who is on your dream guest star list for potential future episodes of the show?

I mean, once you do have Michelle Kwan, I don’t know where else you’re gonna go from there. I kind of started with the most major one ever! But I mean, I feel like… is Adele ever available? Beyoncé? Michelle Obama, honey? Like, I’m shooting for the stars, but I don’t know. Who knows?

Oprah?

Oh my god, Oprah. Aaah! I don’t know if I could even have Oprah ’cause I think I would literally do that for the whole 22 minutes. Aah! Aaah!

I’d watch it. I would.

The title of that episode: “Can Jonathan Form Words Around Oprah?”

National Center for Transgender Equality Launch 2022 U.S. Trans Survey Pledge 

January 5, 2022 by David Mariner

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and partners are excited to launch the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey Pledge (USTS) at ustranssurvey.org. Through the USTS Pledge, members of the trans community can now sign up to receive information about the survey, learn how to participate and pledge to take the survey when it is released in 2022. 

“NCTE is proud to partner with the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, TransLatin@ Coalition, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, and other organizations that serve trans people nationwide on the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of NCTE.

“The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition is incredibly excited to be a partner for the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, the leading source for insight into the real-life experiences of the trans community. As the largest trans survey in the U.S., we know that it’s critical to ensure that the experiences of as many Black binary and nonbinary trans people as possible are captured in the survey,” said Carter Brown, national executive director of BTAC.  “We are encouraging everyone to be a part of history and pledge to take the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey.” 

“Our organization is grateful to partner on such an important milestone for our community with the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey,” said Bamby Salcedo, president and CEO of the Los Angeles-based TransLatin@ Coalition. “The data we will generate as a community will provide support for our continued advocacy for our specific needs.”

Information about the U.S. Trans Survey: 

The U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survey of trans people in the United States.
The USTS documents the lives and experiences of trans people in the U.S. and U.S. territories. 
The U.S. Trans Survey is for all trans people ages 16 and up. 
The USTS is for people of all trans identities, including binary and nonbinary trans identities.
The USTS is the main source of data about trans people for the media, educators, policymakers and the general public, and covers health, employment, income, the criminal justice system and other aspects of life. 
USTS reports have been a vital resource, including the reports on the experiences of people of color and reports by state. 
In 2015, nearly 28,000 people took the USTS, making it the largest survey of trans people in the U.S. to date. A lot has happened since then, and it’s time to conduct the USTS again in 2022.

Participants who sign a pledge form to participate will receive email updates from NCTE about the survey. Taking the pledge does not obligate anyone to take the survey and participation is voluntary. Participants will be asked to consent to take the survey once it becomes available.

Follow Friday: Genderqueer and Non-Binary Voices

April 24, 2018January 6, 2017 by David Mariner

In the recent US Trans Survey, More than one-third (35%) of respondents indicated
that their gender identity was best described as nonbinary or genderqueer (US Trans Survey). Here are just a few of the amazing gender queer & non-binary individuals who are bringing visibility to the movement.

Jes Tom

www.twitter.com/jestom

Born & raised in San Francisco and now established in New York, Jes Tom is a fresh voice in stand up comedy.

Their first 30 minute comedy special, Cold Brew, was recorded live in August 2016 at Astoria’s QED: A Place to Show and Tell. Cold Brew is an elegy for the Fuckboi. It’s a cautionary lamentation about being Queer and getting your heart broken in the age of “Love is Love is Love.” Through stand up, storytelling, and uncomfortably public vulnerability, COLD BREW tackles “falling in love,” astrology, interracial relationships, Pokémon, gay porn, and the inevitable fall of society as we know it

Jes Tom holds a BA in Theatre from Smith College. They have completed the Meisner Acting program at Maggie Flanigan Studio.

Brian Langevin

twitter.com/brianlangevin

Brian Langevin is the Executive Director of Asexual Outreach. Recognizing the need for a more collaborative and sustainable movement, Brian brought together a team to found Asexual Outreach in 2014. Since then, Brian’s passion for the nonprofit sector led them to a Nonprofit Management program at Ryerson University, while Brian’s drive for equality has them happily spending their days building a better society for aces and aros across the country.

Ignacio Rivera

twitter.com/papi_coxxx

Much like Christopher Soto, the work of Ignacio Rivera blurs the lines between art and activism. Ignacio identifies as “Brooklyn, New York City born and raised Queer, Two-spirit, Black Boricua Taíno” who uses the gender-neutral pronoun they.

Ignacio is also one of the founding board member of Queers for Economic Justice; a progressive non-profit organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. And while this organization is no longer around, it had a profound impact on our movement, highlighting how LGBT folks living in poverty are affected by issues like welfare reform, homelessness and the shelter system.

These days Ignacio wears many, many hats. They are a performance artist, activist, lecturer, and most recently a filmaker. Learn more about Ignacio at their website, www.ignaciogrivera.com.

Toi Scott

twitter.com/afrogenderqueer

A native Texan, currently living in Puerto Rico, Toi is a gender non-conforming author, playwright, spoken word artist, filmmaker, journalist, medicine-maker, health advocate, food justice activist, anti-racist and anti-oppression organizer/diversity and gender workshop facilitator and curriculum developer. Toi is also a QPOC/POC (queer/people of color) community builder/organizer. They are the author of Notes from an Afro-Genderqueer (1 and 2). Find out more at www.afrogenderqueer.com.

Kaitlyn Alexander

twitter.com/realisticsay

Kaitlyn Alexander is a Canadian actor, writer, and youtuber. They are known for their role as LaFontaine in the online web series Carmilla. They are also the creator of the web series Couple-ish, in which Alexander acts as a main character, writer, producer. They play the lead role, Dee, who is non-binary, pansexual and open to date all genders. The series was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaip9up8gn, which raised over $29,000. An accomplished musician, Kaitlyn also wrote and recorded the theme song for the web series. Watch Couple-ish on Youtube.

Jacob Tobia

twitter.com/jacobtobia

Jacob Tobia is the host of NBC OUT’s Queer 2.0 and a leading voice for genderqueer, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. They have appeared on MTV’s The T Word, and in 2015, Jacob was profiled by MTV in the one hour, GLAAD Award-nominated episode of True Life: I’m Genderqueer.

Jacob is a Point Foundation Scholar, Harry S. Truman Scholar, and recipient of the Campus Pride National Voice and Action Award. They have spoken at conferences and college campuses around the country. Find out more about Jacob at www.jacobtobia.com.

Christopher Soto

twitter.com/loma_poetry

Christoppher Soto (aka Loma) is an nationally recognized poet and activist. Their first chapbook “Sad Girl Poems” was published by Sibling Rivalry Press and tackles some tough topics like LGBTQ youth homelessness, Intimate Partner Violence, and suicide. Their work has been translated into Spanish and Portuguese.

They are currently working on a full-length poetry manuscript about police violence and mass incarceration. Originally from the Los Angeles area, Christopher now now resides in Brooklyn. Visit Christopher’s website at christophersoto-poet.com.

Jeffrey Marsh

twitter.com/thejeffreymarsh

Jeffrey Marsh, author of ‘How to Be You’ from Penguin Random House, is an LGBTQ activist and icon whose message of inclusion and acceptance has amassed over 300 MILLION views on social media. Named ‘Viner of the Year’ by CBS, Jeffrey has 500k+ fans on their social channels, and is the creator of the global trends #NoTimeToHateMyself and #DontSayThatsSoGay. Jeffrey is a regular contributor, writer, and on-air host for Snapchat Stories, Facebook Live, O Magazine, Oprah.com, TIME.com, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Mashable, and Mom.me, to name a few. Find out more at www.jeffreymarsh.com.

Genderqueer / Gender Nonbinary — Genderqueer / Gender Non-Binary

Key Findings from the US Transgender Survey

April 24, 2018December 11, 2016 by David Mariner

The National Center for Transgender Equality has released the results of the 2015 US Transgender Survey, which documents widespread discrimination against the transgender community in employment, housing, healthcare, and public accommodations. It is the largest survey of it’s kind, with over 27,000 respondents from across the country. Of these respondents, more than one third did not identify as either male or female, but reported a non-binary (or genderqueer) gender identity. Among the key findings in the report.

Poverty

Survey respondents reported an unemployment rate of 15%, which is three-times that of the general population. Not suprisingly, this means higher rates of poverty and a reliance on underground economies. Close to one-third of all survey respondents were found to be living in poverty (this number being even higher for transgender people of color), and one-third also reported having experienced homelessness at some points in their lives.

A lack of financial resources proved to be a significant barrier to participants getting identity documents updated with their desired name and gender. 35% of those who have not changed their legal name and 32% of those who have not updated their identity documents (like a drivers license) have not done so because they could not afford it.

Healthcare

One quarter of all respondents had a problem in the past year with their insurance related to being transgender. Further, one third of those who sought medical care reported a negative experience such as being harrassed, misgendered, or refused treatment.

This lack of access to quality care is particularly disturbing when you take into account the needs of the transgender community. Transgender individuals reported higher rates of recent psychological distress, which is not suprising considering the challenges faced in society. An extremely troubling 40% of respondents report having attempted suicide in their lifetime.

Finally, the HIV/AIDS rate of the survey participants was (1.4%) was five times that of the general population in the United States. That number skyrockets to 19% when looking specifically at Black transgender women.

Violence

46% of survey respondents report being verbally harrassed and 9% report being physically attacked in the past year. Nearly half of respondents have experienced sexual assault at some point in their lifetime.

Room for Hope

While these numbers are deeply troubling, there are some reasons to be hopeful. More than two-thirds of those who were out at in the workplace reported that their coworkers were supportive.

Further, more than half of participants reported that their families are currently supportive of them, and this family support is crucial. Individuals with supportive families experienced lower rates of homelessness, suicide, and psychological distress, a finding consistent with the work of the Family Acceptance Project.

Download the report

Download the 2015 US Trans Survey Complete Report

Find out more at www.ustranssurvey.org

2015 US Transgender Survey