Transgender-Related Statistics

© February 2011+: Victoria A. Stuart

Prefacing Comments

Inaccurate statistics - whether understated or overstated - cloud our understanding of the true scope of the problems faced by transgendered persons. In many cases the numbers reported are grossly under-representative of the actual values, since many members of our transgender community are unemployed, homeless, don't have access to computers, have transitioned and blended into society, or are closeted and in stealth, or are simply ignored, thus remaining largely invisible. In other cases statistics may be inflated, to serve a particular agenda. For example, an entirely anecdotal and shocking statistic that has become widely distributed and quoted states that "1 in 12 transgender Americans face the chance of being murdered during their lifetime," while in comparison the average person has about a one in 18,000 chance of being murdered - 1,500 times less than that a transperson. I tried, unsuccessfully, to track down the person (Kay Brown) who was attributed as making that remark. Nevertheless, reflection, personal experience with transgender community, and common sense tells us that that number - '1 in 12 transgender persons will be murdered' - is inflated and highly implausible. [I separately comment on, hopefully debunking, this rather infamous statement in the Appendix, below.]

The statistics in the following essay generally focus upon those who identify as transgender or transsexual [see Footnote 2, below, for a clarification of these terms], and describe the incidence and prevalence of the sexual, physical and verbal harassment, violence and discrimination faced by transpersons (e.g. bullying at school by students, teachers and school officials, and in the workplace); hate crime directed at transpersons; depression; suicide; substance abuse; HIV/AIDS; the lack or denial of services including transgender health care; unemployment; housing, and other social issues. Incidences of bullying and taunts in schools are wholly untenable, and verbal abuse can be as damaging as physical violence, causing stress and long-lasting emotional and psychological trauma that results in at-risk behaviors including drug use and suicide. The disproportionately high rates of unemployment and under-employment among transpersons - a group that is generally better-educated that the general population - likewise are wholly unacceptable, as are the disproportionately high rates of discrimination, depression suicide, substance abuse, and prevalence of HIV/AIDS among transpersons.

Statistics regarding violence and hate crimes directed at transgendered individuals are particularly shocking: transgendered persons face risks to their health, safety and well-being that are startlingly disproportionate to mainstream ("straight") society. Violence directed specifically at transpersons results in numerous transgender murder victims worldwide each year. We honor the lives, accomplishments, and the memory of "Our Dead" - and remind society of the costs of this violence - yearly when we observe the International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) each November 20. The 12th such observance took place in 2010.

When I first published my compilation and summary of transgender-related statistics on my website (April 2009), it seemed to me, at least that many of the so-called statistics appearing on the web were of poor quality (as mentioned) - often anecdotal and non-referenced. Thankfully, in recent years this has improved substantially, as healthcare and transgender advocating agencies initiate large, generally well-crafted surveys and studies that focus specifically on transgender cohorts. In that regard, while further below I present (and comment upon, where appropriate or necessary) the transgender-related statistics that I have compiled, I'd like to highlight, here, a recent report, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS; PDF file; 228 pp.), that is exceptionally comprehensive and authoritative. I've excerpted the key parts of the Executive Summary (PDF file; 8 pp.), here:

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Groundbreaking Study Finds Pervasive Discrimination Against Transgender People. A new study reveals pervasive discrimination against transgender and gender-nonconforming people in a variety of fields, including education, employment, housing, health care, and more.

(February 04, 2011) The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) today released a comprehensive new report, "Injustice at Every Turn," revealing the depth of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people in a wide range of areas, including education, health care, employment, and housing. The study, based on the results from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), was based on responses from over 6,450 participants. The NTDS is the first large-scale national study of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming Americans, and paints a more complete picture than any prior research to date.

Among the key findings from "Injustice at Every Turn:"

• 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. 19% reported being refused a home or apartment and 11% reported being evicted because of their gender identity or expression. One in five respondents experienced homelessness because of their gender identity or expression.

• An astonishing 41% of respondents reported attempting suicide, compared to only 1.6% of the general population.

• Discrimination in health care and poor health outcomes were frequently experienced by respondents. 19% 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% of respondents and nearly half were uncomfortable seeking police assistance.

• Despite the hardships they often face, transgender and gender non-conforming persons persevere. Over 78% 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." Said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of NCTE: "Reading these results is heartbreaking on a personal level - each of these facts and figures represents pain and hardship endured by real people, every single day. This survey is a call to the conscience of every American who believes that everyone has the right to a fair chance to work hard, to have a roof overhead, and to support a family. Equality, not discrimination, is the ideal that Americans believe in, have fought for, and need to apply here."

...

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the grassroots power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community by training activists, equipping state and local organizations with the skills needed to organize broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement's premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all.

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a non-profit, social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment. NCTE was founded in 2003 by transgender activists who saw the urgent need for a consistent voice in Washington DC. Our work focuses on federal policy, federal legislation and other issues of national significance that impact the lives of transgender people and our families. We provide technical assistance to policymakers, give input on new and existing policies, and create resources to inform transgender people of their rights and the ways in which federal policies and laws affect them. Our work is devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy.

...

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I welcome comments, additions and corrections regarding these statistics; you may e-mail me at mail@VictoriasJourney.com.

If you need to reference this page, please cite it as:

"A Compilation of Transgender-Related Statistics," by Victoria A. Stuart (http://VictoriasJourney.com/docs/Transgender_Statistics.htm).

Sincerely,

Dr. Victoria A. Stuart, Ph.D.
Vancouver
British Columbia, Canada

Website: VictoriasJourney.com
E-mail: mail@VictoriasJourney.com

Footnotes

2. "Transgender" is an umbrella term encompassing transgender, transsexual, cross-dressers, questioning, androgynous, intersex, Two Spirit, and other gender-variant individuals. "Transsexual," however, is not an umbrella term; rather, it specifically describes persons like me, a subset of transgender individuals who undergo hormone treatment and / or gender reassignment surgery to align our physical sex and gender identity.

3. Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation constituted 11% of the total hate crimes in Canada between 1993-1994 and 11.7% of the hate crimes in the United States in 1992 (Roberts, 1995), percentages that are surprisingly close. These numbers have maintained relatively stable since the 1990's. Cited reference: Roberts, J.V. (1995) "Disproportionate harm: Hate crimes in Canada, an analysis of recent statistics" [click here for the PDF version]. Cited in: "Making Sense of the Senseless: The Experience of Being Gay Bashed," by Dale Chad Allen Smith, M.S.W. Thesis, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, December, 2008 [PDF file].

Citation: If you need to reference this page, please cite it as:

"A Compilation of Transgender-Related Statistics," by Victoria A. Stuart (http://VictoriasJourney.com/docs/Transgender_Statistics.htm).

SECTIONS:

Prevalence of Transgenderism

Societal Perceptions of Transgender Persons / Trans Issues

Sexual, Physical & Verbal Harassment, Violence & Abuse; Discrimination

Hate Crimes

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Suicide

Substance Abuse; Addictions; HIV/AIDS and Sexually-Transmitted Diseases; Sexual Risk Behavior

Access To Medical Care, Including GRS Gender Reassignment Surgery)

Bathrooms

Education, Employment & Housing

Other (Relevant) Statistics

Appendix: Commentary [Victoria Stuart] Regarding the Infamous '1 in 12 Transgendered Persons Will Be Murdered' "Statistic"

• Comment - Victoria Stuart: I personally estimate that perhaps 1/1,000 to 1/500 persons in the general population is transgender / transsexual, and perhaps 1/100 to 1/50 persons is gender-variant (e.g. crossdresser, questioning): How Many People Are Transgendered? - Commentary by Victoria Stuart, January 2008.
  • Update: My estimate - 1 in 500 (0.2%) appears to be a pretty good guess, based on the following report released by UCLA's WIlliams Institute:

    "How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender?" [PDF, 8 pp.; April 2011; also available here]: "Increasing numbers of population-based surveys in the United States and across the world include questions that allow for an estimate of the size of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population. This research brief discusses challenges associated with collecting better information about the LGBT community and reviews eleven recent US and international surveys that ask sexual orientation or gender identity questions. The brief concludes with estimates of the size of the LGBT population in the United States. ..."

    Here is the relevant finding regarding transpersons:

    • "An estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults are transgender. ... An estimate for the transgender population is derived by averaging the findings from the Massachusetts and California surveys cited [below]." Based on this estimate, there are approximately 700,000 transgender adults (0.3% of the population) in the U.S. in 2011.

    • Please refer to the PDF file for the complete report, including additional discussion and references.

• For what it's worth (i.e., non-referenced "statistics"), see also this commentary, "FAQ - Transgenderism: How many transgenderists are out there?," from The Alliance of LBGTA Students at Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI):
  "There are no actual statistics on the numbers of transvestites, transsexuals, or intersexuals in the world at large. Due to the nature of transgenderism, a accurate count cannot be made. The estimated ratio of MTF transsexuals to genetic males is between 1:2,000 and 1:80,000. The estimated ratio of FTM transsexuals to genetic females is between 1:2,000 and 1:125,000. Researchers estimate that the percentage of men who have crossdressed is quite high, perhaps as high as 50 percent. Female crossdressers are comparatively uncommon (crossdressing meaning someone who dresses in male clothes and attempts to look male.) There are numerous other unverified statistics floating around in the world, such as:
  • Less than 1% of all people saying they are transsexual ever have SRS

  • 7-12,000 sex changes have been performed in the US, half of them MTF

  • There are 4 times as many MTF transsexuals in Europe as there are in America

  • 90 percent of all transvestites and transsexuals live in large cities"

• Statistics indicate that the total number of people whose bodies differ from standard male or female at birth (i.e. intersex people) are 1 in 100 or greater. This can mean many things, including incongruity in genetic sex (XX/XY), being born with at least partial sex organs of both genders, or having ambiguous sex organs. Unfortunately, this natural differentiation poses enough of a threat to our binary model that as many as 1 in 500 infants endure surgeries to "normalize" genital appearance. Among many disturbing forms of common medical intervention, this can involve surgically shaving clitorises longer than 1 cm in length, and surgically assigning a female sex to males with a stretched penile length under 2.5 cm. Source: [sidebar; non-referenced:] "Trans Facts," In: A pound of flesh: The cost of transsexual health care in Canada, by Calvin Neufeld, Briarpatch Magazine, March / April 2009.

• In the United Kingdom (non-referenced): Possibly 600,000 or 1 in 100 people experience some degree of gender discomfort. Possibly 15,000 or 1 in 4,000 people experience gender discomfort that leads to medical treatment. And the number of people in that 15,000 who are intending to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone transition to live permanently in a different gender role is 10,000. [Source: Transphobia Statistics, West Sussex Grid for Learning, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex, U.K.]

• Many Americans are Unfamiliar with Trans Issues:
  • Have heard the word transgender - Yes, 70%; No, 30%

  • Are transgender people the same as gay and lesbian people? Don't know, 12%; Different, 56%; Same, 32%

  • Source: Fig. 4 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2, "Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report," lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Public Opinion Reflects Ignorance of Trans People:
  • Opinion of Transgender People (% of respondents):
    • National (2002): Don't know, 21%; Unfavorable, 24%; Neutral, 32%; Favorable, 23%

    • New York (2008): Don't know, 17%; Unfavorable, 14%; Neutral, 39%; Favorable, 30%

  • Being Transgender Is ... (% of respondents):
    • National (2002): Don't know, 10%; Wrong, 37%; Okay, 53%

    • New York (2008): Don't know, 27%; Wrong, 16%; Okay, 57%

    • New York (2008 after give description of what "trans" means): Don't know, 10%; Wrong, 16%; Okay, 74%

  • Source: Fig. 5 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2, "Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report," lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Note: Hate Crimes are considered separately, in the following section.

• The School Climate is Hostile for Trans Students [Measure: % of respondents]:
  • Have seen gender non-conforming students verbally attacked: 61% of Respondants
  • Believe that school unsafe for unmasculine boys: 54%
  • Often/very often see students bullied/harassed because they're not masculine / feminine enough: 28%
  • Have been bullied because they're not masculine / feminine enough: 27%
  • See gender non-conforming students physically assaulted: 21%

  • Source: Fig. 10 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• 55% of transgender youth report being physically attacked [Source: GLSEN (2003) "The 2003 national school climate survey: The school related experiences of our nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth."]

• 74% of transgender youth reported being sexually harassed at school, and 90% of transgender youth reported feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression [Source: GLSEN (2001) The 2001 national school climate survey: The school related experiences of our nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth."]

• In a survey of 403 transgender people, 78% reported having been verbally harassed and 48% reported having been victims of assault, including assault with a weapon, sexual assault or rape [Source: Wilchins, R. et al. (1997) "First national survey of transgender violence." Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, April 1997. Comment - Victoria Stuart: The GPAC has completed it's mission and is "closed," as of May 2009. However, this report is available here.]

• The following statistics regarding Canadian students are excerpted from National survey: Most queer students feel unsafe at school. Queer-positive curriculum needed, say advocates, Julia Garro, Xtra.ca, April 03, 2009:
  • One in four queer students reported physical harassment in connection to their sexuality while two in five trans students and one in five queer students reported physical harassment in connection to their gender expression

  • Six out of 10 queer students reported being verbally harassed in connection to their sexual orientation while nine out of 10 trans students reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression

  • Three-quarters of all respondents reported hearing expressions like "That's so gay" on a daily basis while half heard homophobic slurs on a daily basis

  • Three-quarters of queer students and 95 percent of trans students feel unsafe at school compared to one-fifth of straight respondents

• GLSEN's 2005 National School Climate Survey, which surveyed 1,732 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students from all 50 states and Washington DC, reported that, because of bias against their gender identity or expression:
  • 75. 4% of students heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of ten (89.2%) reported hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" - meaning stupid or worthless- frequently or often.

  • Over a third (37.8%) of students experienced physical harassment at school on the basis of sexual orientation and more than a quarter (26.1%) on the basis of their gender expression.

  • Nearly one-fifth (17.6%) of students had been physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation and over a tenth (11.8%) because of their gender expression.

  Academic Engagement, Aspirations and Achievement:
  • LGBT students were five times more likely to report having skipped school in the last month because of safety concerns than the general population of students.

  • LGBT students who experience more frequent physical harassment were more likely to report they did not plan to go to college. Overall, LGBT students were twice as likely as the general population of students to report they were not planning to pursue any post-secondary education.

  • The average GPA for LGBT students who were frequently physically harassed was half a grade lower than that of LGBT students experiencing less harassment (2.6 versus 3.1).

  Positive Interventions and Support:
  • The presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive indicators including greater sense of safety, fewer reports of missing days of school, and a higher incidence of planning to attend college.

  • Students in schools with a GSA [Gay-Straight Alliance] were less likely to feel unsafe, less likely to miss school, and more likely to feel like they belonged at their school than students in schools with no such clubs.

  • Having a comprehensive policy was related to a lower incidence of hearing homophobic remarks and to lower rates of verbal harassment. Students at schools with inclusive policies also reported higher rates of intervention by school staff when homophobic remarks were made.

  • Only nine states and the District of Columbia have comprehensive anti-bullying laws that specifically address bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and only three of these laws mention gender identity. Nine other states have "generic" anti-bullying laws that do not specifically define "bullying" or enumerate categories of protected classes such as sexual orientation or gender identity. The remaining 32 states have no laws at all. The NSCS found that both states with "generic" anti-bullying laws and states with no law at all had equally high rates of verbal harassment. States with inclusive policies that specifically enumerate categories including sexual orientation and gender identity, however, have significantly lower rates of verbal harassment (31.6% vs. 40.8%).

  • "These reports from LGBT students echo recent reports from the larger population of students in the United States," said Joseph Kosciw, PhD, Research Director for GLSEN. "In a recent national study conducted by GLSEN and Harris Interactive, 62.5% of secondary school students reported that other students were called names or harassed at their school on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, which was very similar to the 64.1% of LGBT students in the NSCS who reported experiencing such harassment."

• GLSEN's 2005 National School Survey results are also reported in the Cold Showers and Statistics blog entry, posted July 07, 2007 by Richard M. Juang at the Trans Group Blog; however the numbers reported there (Trans Group Blog) don't agree with those reported by the source, GLSEN, highlighting the need to verify and re-verify trans statistics reported on the web:
  • 40.7% of students felt unsafe in their own school

  • 45.5% had been verbally harassed

  • 26.1% had been physically harassed

  • 11.8% had been assaulted

• GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network released the most comprehensive report ever on the experiences of GLBT students in their 2007 National School Climate Survey. The survey of 6,209 middle and high school students found that nearly 9 out of 10 GLBT students (86.2%) experienced harassment at school in the past year, three-fifths (60.8%) felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and about a third (32.7%) skipped a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe. Regarding transgender students, specifically (pp. 81, 82 and elsewhere in ref. 8), based on a sample of 290-296 transgender students:
  • 96.1% of students heard negative comments related to students' gender expression

  • 85.1% of transgender students reported being verbally harassed in the past school year because of their sexual orientation and gender and/or gender expression

  • 49.5% of transgender students also reported physical harassment

  • 38.4% of students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their gender expression

  • 34.1% reported physical assault based on all of these characteristics.

  • Source: GLSEN (2007), "The 2007 National School Climate Survey: Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT Students Harassed."   Click here for the full report (PDF).

• United Kingdom (non-referenced statistics):
  • 64% of young transgender men and 44% of young transgender women will experience harassment or bullying at school, not just from their fellow pupils but also from school staff and teachers.

  • 34% of transgender people obtain a degree or higher degree (later on in life) compared to the UK national average of only 27%.

  • Source: Transphobia Statistics, West Sussex Grid for Learning, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex, U.K.

• Directly relevant to the first item in the preceding entry (the bullying of GLBT students by their teachers), a January 2011 peer-reviewed journal article indicates that lesbian, gay and bisexual teens are singled out for punishment by those in positions of authority, who should be protecting them:
  Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents are about 40 percent more likely than other teens to be punished by school authorities, police and the courts, according to a study by Yale University researchers. Published in the January 2011 issue of the journal Pediatrics, the study is the first to document excessive punishment of LGB youth nationwide. "We found that virtually all types of punishment -- including school expulsions, arrests, juvenile convictions, adult convictions and especially police stops -- were more frequently meted out to LGB youth," said lead author Kathryn Himmelstein, who initiated the study while she was a Yale undergraduate. The research was supervised by Hannah Brueckner, professor of sociology and co-director of the Center for Research on Inequalities and the Life Course at Yale.

  The study was based on the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and included about 15,000 middle and high school students who were followed for seven years into early adulthood. The study collected details on participants' sexuality, including feelings of sexual attraction, sexual relationships and self-labeling as LGB. Add Health also surveyed participants about how frequently they engaged in a variety of misbehaviors, ranging in severity from lying to parents, to using a weapon. Add Health included detailed questions about school expulsions and contacts with the criminal justice system.

  Himmelstein, who now teaches math at a public high school in New York City, said that adolescents who identified themselves as LGB were about 50 percent more likely to be stopped by police than other teenagers. Teens who reported feelings of attraction to members of the same sex, regardless of their self-identification, were more likely than other teens to be expelled from school or convicted of crimes as adults. "Girls who labeled themselves as lesbian or bisexual were especially at risk for unequal treatment," said Himmelstein. "They reported experiencing twice as many police stops, arrests and convictions as other girls who had engaged in similar behavior. Although we did not explore the experiences of transgender youth, anecdotal reports suggest that they are similarly at risk for excessive punishment."

  The study showed that these disparities in punishments are not explained by differences in the rates of misbehavior. In fact, the study showed that adolescents who identified themselves as LGB actually engaged in less violence than their peers. "The painful, even lethal bullying that LGB youth suffer at the hands of their peers has been highlighted by recent tragic events," Himmelstein notes. "Our numbers suggest that school officials, police and judges, who should be protecting LGB youth, are instead singling them out for punishment based on their sexual orientation. LGB teens can't thrive if adults single them out for punishment because of their sexual orientation." Brueckner added, "The study provides the first and only national estimates for over-representation of LGB youth in the criminal justice system. We simply did not have any good numbers on this before. We need more research on the processes that lead to this to help us identify ways to make our institutions more equitable with respect to policing all youth, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation."

  Journal reference: Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein and Hannah Brückner (2011) "Criminal-Justice and School Sanctions Against Nonheterosexual Youth: A National Longitudinal Study." Pediatrics 127 49-57. [PDF copy]

  Comment - Victoria Stuart: Unfortunately, we - transpersons - are again marginalized / ignored! The only specific comment regarding transgendered persons in the Himmelstein & Brückner article is the following, bizarre passage that appears on page 55:

  "Add Health lacks reliable information about gender identity. The wave 3 survey included questions from the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, which was designed to elicit gender identity by asking respondents to affirm statements such as "I love children." [&larr the italicized text is my emphasis, with the following comment - please excuse the language, again for emphasis - 'No s**t, Einstein(s)! Why not simply pose the question?'] Unfortunately, the Bem Inventory correlates poorly with gender self-identification [ref. 40] and, hence, was not analyzed. Because many nonheterosexual people are gender-nonconforming [ref. 41], however, the results of this study suggest that non-normative gender identity might contribute to sanction disparities. Indeed, results of qualitative studies have suggested that transgendered individuals are at particular risk of discrimination and victimization within the school and criminal-justice systems [refs. 19, 21]."

• Again on the subject of the bullying of trans students by teachers (e.g. the two preceding entries), the discussion of suicide rates among transpersons described below in the NTDS (National Transgender Discrimination Survey; see also my discussion of this survey in my Prefacing Comments, above) includes this shocking statement:
  "Most notably, suicide attempt rates rise dramatically when teachers were the reported perpetrators: 59 percent of those harassed or bullied by teachers, 76 percent among those who were physically assaulted by teachers and 69 percent among those who were sexually assaulted."

• Verbal Abuse, Violence and Sexual Assault of Trans People [Average % (range) of respondents in cross-study analyses]:
  • Verbal abuse / harassment: 80% (range: 60 - 88%)
  • Physical Abuse / assault: 41% (26 - 64%)
  • Forced sex / rape: 35% (13 - 59%)
  • Felt unsafe: 43% (30 - 56%)

  • Source: Fig. 9 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • Twenty-seven percent reported they had been forced to engage in unwanted sexual activity since the time they were 13 years old, including 35% of FTMS and 22% of MTFs. Forty percent of the participants reported being physically attacked since the time they were 13 years old, including 45% of FTMs and 36% of MTFs.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• The difficulties in accurately describing - quantitatively / statistically - hate crimes directed against GLBT persons illustrated in the following report. On Nov. 22, 2004 the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) posted this article, FBI Releases Annual Statistics on Hate Crimes: Annual Report's Deficiencies Continue; Eighteen-Month Spike in Anti-LGBT Hate Not Acknowledged, on their website, in which the NCAVP comments upon and challenges FBI hate crime statistics:
  • The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released it's annual report on Hate Crimes across the nation. The report, which documented hate crimes across the country in 2003, contained information on 1,239 incidents in which the perpetrators' motivating factor was victims' actual or perceived sexual orientation. Such incidents represented 17% of the total number of hate crimes in the FBI's report.

  • The FBI's statistics on anti-lesbian and gay incidents continue to fall far short of the number of incidents tracked in the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' (NCAVP) 2003 report on hate violence, which recorded 2,051 incidents in only eleven regions across the nation - more than half of which involved criminal offences. "The fact that the FBI's statistics continue to dramatically undercount anti-LGBT hate at the same time that this community is experiencing an unprecedented and sustained increase in violence is simply shameful," said Clarence Patton, NCAVP's Acting Executive Director. "For NCAVP and its members, which clearly have far fewer resources than the federal government to consistently report more, and more detailed information on hate crimes against LGBT people should truly be a source of embarrassment for the FBI," continued Patton.

  • NCAVP and its members captured information on 40% more hate incidents in 2003 despite the fact that its data only covered regions representing one-eighth of the nation's population, while the FBI's survey is purported to cover the entire nation.

  • According to NCAVP, the deficiencies in the FBI's survey point to an ongoing series of shortcomings with respect to hate crimes tracking by federal, state and local officials. "The FBI only reports on cases sent by local and state law enforcement agencies, and where there is no mandate for those agencies to send information to the FBI, there is absolutely no compelling reason for them to do so, beyond simply doing the right thing. Even in states with such mandates there are shortcomings. According to the FBI, there were a total (for all hate crimes categories) of 727 incidents in California, and 520 in New York State. At the same time, NCAVP tracked 433 incidents in the Los Angeles area, 317 in the Bay Area, and 648 anti-lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender incidents in 2003. "Clearly, something's very wrong with the way our government is getting information on the problem," added Patton.

  • While the FBI's statistics both overall and specific to the lesbian, gay and bisexual community (the FBI does not keep statistics on violence targeting people of transgender experience) were flat from 2002 to 2003, the number of incidents reported to NCAVP increased 8% in 2003, and 26% in the last six months of 2003 - the period just after the Supreme Court's Lawrence decision and at the start of a call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

  • See also: Anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender violence in 2007: A report of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (PDF file), NCAVP, 2008 Release Edition, and NCAVP Releases 2008 Hate Violence Report, June 16, 2009. The NCAVP 2007 report includes the statements:
    • 288 (16%) of the total anti-GLBT incidents reported in 2007 were in whole or in part, anti-trans motivated.

    • Among there "Highlights of Findings: Other Trends of Note" in the Executive Summary, the report states that the largest increase in violence against any demographic category was transgender men [i.e. female-to-male transgendered persons], which rose 65%, from 26 to 43 individuals.
    • When cases involve transgender-identified victims, NCAVP has found that these victims face additional barriers to services. For example, for someone who may be dealing with transphobic-motivated domestic violence (DV), many DV shelters in Colorado are still denying services. Even for shelters who are transgender-inclusive in policy or intention, many times staff members do not know how to respond to inappropriate comments from other residents. Instead of addressing the inappropriate comments, the transgender person is asked to leave and then often struggles with issues of homelessness.

    • Despite a slight decline in number of reports from transgender people, transphobic violence is extremely pervasive and permeates at high levels every layer of our society. From subtle forms such as intimidation and discrimination, to more obvious forms like assault, rape or even murder, violence against transgender and gender nonconforming people is very common. Last year, we documented 63 reports of hate-motivated violence against transgender individuals (4 transgender men and 59 transgender women). Incidents where the sole motive was anti-transgender bias rose by 55% from 11 in 2006 to 17 in 2007. NCAVP's data analysis also reveals that transgender individuals are at a greater risk of experiencing police violence and misconduct than non-trans people.

• This comment, by Laura Amato at Laura's Playground (Transgender, Transsexual, Intersex, Scientific, Surveys, Research and Results), is especially apropos:
  "When it comes to Transgender and Transsexuals there are some including our Government officials who act like we do not exist. The FBI doesn't keep hate crime statistics committed against us. ... It doesn't matter that we have a list of dead [Victoria: see TDOR, below] or even that three-quarters of us have been a victim of either violent or non-violent hate crimes. Estimates have our suicide rate at 31%. Three years ago I did three email surveys on this site on suicide attempts among Transsexuals. The result was so high I repeated it two more times to make sure. Over 50% had had at least one suicide attempt by their 20th birthday. I figured I had proof. I was told it was unscientific because of two answer choices not being worded properly. Does this mean it didn't happen? Of course it doesn't."

• Echoing the above statement by Laura Amato, FBI Hate Crime Statistics can be found on the FBI's Hate Crimes page, with page links to their reports for various years listed in the right-hand sidebar (the most recent year being 2009). The FBI states that "Crimes reported to the FBI involve those motivated by biases based on race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, and disability." So much for us, the transgendered. The word "transgender" does not appear anywhere on the FBI's main Hate Crimes page, their 2009 report's Victims page, or their 2009 report's Incidents and Offenses page.

• Hate crimes in Vancouver B.C. The number of hate crimes investigated by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has more than tripled since 2006, according to new statistics recently released by the VPD. Detective Tim Houchen attributes the jump in part to a better understanding among police officers of how to identify crimes motivated by bias or hate. Last year, the VPD hate crimes team examined 167 files and uncovered 86 hate-related incidents. And the incidents are still probably being underreported, says Houchen, who until recently ran the VPD's hate crime team. Seattle (Washington) has also experienced "really alarming spike" in known violence against LGBT people. [Source: Hate crime investigations triple in Vancouver: Seattle also witnessing a 'really alarming spike' in gaybashings: activist, by Patty Comeau, Xtra West, April 09, 2009.]
  • 'Related' (but trans-exclusive): This Xtra West news item (June 2010) describes an increase in gaybashings in Vancouver: "Gaybashings double across Canada: StatsCan: Vancouver ties for gaybashing capital of Canada. "A new report from Statistics Canada shows gaybashings across the country more than doubled from 2007 to 2008. The report echoes an Xtra investigation conducted last October that also found reported gaybashings on the rise in cities such as Vancouver and Toronto. The StatsCan findings show homophobia fuelled 88 more hate crimes in 2008 than in 2007, for a total of 159 cases compared to 71 the previous year. The report also shows anti-gay hate crimes are predominantly violent in nature. In 2008, 75 percent of reported gaybashings were violent, compared to 38 percent of racially motivated incidents and 25 percent of religiously motivated incidents. Gay men are most likely to be targeted by violent hate crimes, the report suggests, with 85 percent of gaybashing targets being men. ..."

• Similarly, the number of hate crimes rose in Toronto rose by almost 18% in 2010, according to a Toronto Police report, described in this news item. "The 2008 Annual Hate/Bias Crime Statistical Report will be presented to the Toronto Police Services Board tomorrow. The report shows the number of hate crimes occurrences rose to 153 last year from 130 in 2007. However, since police started keeping hate crimes statistics in 1993, the average annual number of incidents is 202. Two things have changed to push up last year's total, board Chairman Dr. Alok Mukherjee said yesterday. There are more people coming forward,' Mukherjee said. 'And our own reports are becoming more sophisticated; we are tracking more, and there are more categories under which we track hate/bias crime than before.' The Jewish community remained the top target last year, followed by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and the black community. Jewish people and organizations are most affected by mischief occurrences and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people fall victim to the largest number of violent hate-motivated crimes -- usually assaults and threats, according to the report."

• Statistics Canada has released a reasonably comprehensive report, entitled Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2008, which includes the following statements:
  • Hate crimes increase in 2008. In 2008, Canadian police services, covering 88% of the population, reported 1,036 hate crimes. This number was up from 765 incidents in 2007 and 892 in 2006, the first year that near-national statistics on hate crimes were available from the UCR survey. Despite the 35% increase, hate crimes continued to account for a low proportion of all crimes, at less than 1%.

  • Hate crime rate in the United States similar to Canada. Although methodological differences do not enable a direct comparison to be made, it is interesting to see that the rate of police-reported hate crime in the United States is somewhat similar to that in Canada. In 2008, American police services covering 89% of the population reported 7,783 criminal incidents motivated by hate, representing a rate of 2.9 incidents per 100,000 population (FBI, 2009). This compares to Canada's rate of 3.5 incidents per 100,000 population.

  • Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation double. Three primary motivations surrounding police-reported hate crimes were identified in 2008: race or ethnicity (55%), religion (26%) and sexual orientation (16%). The remaining 3% of incidents were motivated by a variety of factors, such as sex, mental or physical disability and language. These proportions were similar to those reported by police in both 2007 and 2006 (Chart 2).

  • Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation predominantly violent. Detailed information on the type and nature of offences associated with hate crimes is available from a subset of police services. Non-violent incidents, primarily mischief (Chart 5), accounted for about 6 in 10 hate crimes in 2008 and violent crimes for 4 in 10. While the proportion of violent hate crimes was higher in 2008 than in 2007 (33%), the 2007 figure was based upon a smaller subset of police services.

• See also: Hate crime in Canada, by Mia Dauvergne, Katie Scrim and Shannon Brennan, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada (Nov. 17, 2008), which describes hate crimes in Canada in 2006; the full report is available as a PDF copy.
  • At the top of PDF p. 13, Dauvergne et al. state: "More than half of all hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation are violent. About one in ten police-reported incidents of hate crime (or 80 incidents) were motivated by sexual orientation, usually homosexuality (98%). Unlike hate crimes motivated by race/ethnicity or religion, those driven by hatred towards a particular sexual orientation were primarily violent (56%), rather than property related (36%), with common assault being the most frequent type of violation. As a result, incidents motivated by sexual orientation were more likely than other types of hate crime incidents to result in physical injury to victims. The vast majority of incidents resulting in injury were minor in nature; about one in ten were major."

  • Regarding gender (PDF pp. 10-11), they state: "The proportions of 2006 police-reported hate crimes and 2004 victim-reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were also fairly similar (10% and 11% respectively). Differences arose, however, for hate crimes motivated by religion and gender. ... the most substantial difference between the results of the two surveys pertained to the proportion of hate crimes motivated by gender. While gender-based victimizations accounted for less than 1% of police-reported hate crimes, gender was cited as the motivation behind 27% of [the 2004 General Social Survey: GSS] hate crime incidents. Part of the disparity in the volume of gender-motivated hate crimes reported by victims in the GSS and police may be due to different interpretations of the definition of hate crime. Research in the United States found that prosecutors tended to under-count hate crimes motivated by gender by attributing certain incidents (e.g. violence directed at women) to motivations of power and control rather than hate (McPhail and DiNitto, 2005). It is possible that similar interpretations exist for police."

  • Comment - Victoria Stuart: In my opinion, a major shortcoming of this report by Dauvergne et al. is the lack of adequate descriptions of hate crimes motivated by misogyny (the contempt or hatred of women), and more significantly, those relating to transgender persons. Shamefully, the word "transgender" does not appear anywhere in this report, and so once again we (transpersons) are again ignored and marginalized, despite being at significantly elevated risk of violence than even GLB persons. Many transpersons, including most male-to-female persons, do not fully "pass" as female, and thus comprise a readily recognized minority, wherever they go, more so than gay or female-to-male men, or lesbian females. This point bears directly on the following item, the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

• Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR):
  • Each year on November 20 we 'Remember Our Dead' - the transgender victims of hate crimes - as we observe the International Transgender Day of Remembrance.

  • The International Transgender Day of Remembrance website provides "statistics and other info," here.

  • See also "Transgender Day of Remembrance" at Wikipedia, for a concise summary and links.

• British Columbia:
  • Twenty-six percent of B.C. transgender persons reported needing anti-violence services at some point.

  • B.C. transgender persons with cognitive or mental-health issues are highly vulnerable to social isolation, abuse, and violence.

  • Source: Transgender rights still unenshrined, in the "Transgender people face daily challenges" subsection; by Carlito Pablo, Straight.com | Vancouver Free Press, July 31, 2008. The source cited in this article is: Social and Medical Advocacy With Transgender People and Loved Ones: Recommendations for B.C. Clinicians (PDF file), by Catherine White Holman and Joshua Mira Goldberg, January 2006.]

• The Trans Murder Monitoring Project. TGEU (Transgender Europe) develops its own research projects:
  The first project is a monitoring and research project, which started in April 2009 and is carried out in cooperation with the multilingual Online-Magazine "Liminalis - A Journal for Sex/Gender Emancipation and Resistance." The so called Trans Murder Monitoring Project focuses on murdered trans people worldwide. Although the results of the Trans Murder Monitoring project are very preliminary at this stage of the project, we will present these preliminary results here for the following reasons:
  • To introduce the Trans Murder Monitoring project to a wider public

  • To win supporters and cooperation partners (see also below)

  • To raise awareness about the murderous situation trans people have to face in diverse countries

  These very preliminary results have revealed more than 200 reported cases of murdered trans people from January 2008 to June 2009 worldwide. They show 121 cases of reported murdered trans people in 2008 worldwide. From January to June 2009 already 83 cases of murdered trans people have been reported worldwide. The preliminary results of TGEU's and Liminalis's Trans Murder Monitoring project are presented here in different forms and as PDF files:
  1. A short report-article which is introducing the Trans Murder monitoring project, giving some context information on monitoring and reporting murders of trans persons, and summarizing the preliminary results: Report January 2008 - June 2009.

  2. Name lists of the reported murdered trans persons in 2008 and from January to June 2009. These lists are showing the names and some details about the deaths of the otherwise anonymously reported murdered trans persons: Name List 2008, and Name List January - June 2009.

  3. Tables showing some preliminary statistics relating to (among others) the country, the cause of death, and the profession of the victims: Tables 2008, and Tables January - June 2009.

  4. Maps showing graphically the worldwide scale of the reports of murdered trans persons: Map 2008, and Map January - June 2009.

  Although TGEU and Liminalis wish that such research was unnecessary (because there was no murder of trans persons to report) they would appreciate contributions concerning reports of murdered trans people and transphobic murders and violence in general from the different countries in the six world regions. Therefore TGEU and Liminalis are asking networks, organisations and individuals to send reports of murdered trans people to research[at]tgeu.org and to take part in this ongoing monitoring and research project and help provide data for measurements to improve the situation of trans people worldwide.

  When reporting cases of murdered trans people please give as many details as possible, e.g. the name of the victim, using if known the chosen social name of the victim, the victim's age and profession and if known the victim's self definition (e.g. travesti, transwoman, FTM, genderqueer etc.) or the local/indigenous denominations (e.g. muxé, kathoey etc.), the date (day, month, year) and the place (State, City/Town, Street/Public Place/Home etc.) of the murder as well as the cause of death (e.g. shot, stabbed, strangled etc.) and the source of information. Furthermore if possible a context for the murder as well as a follow up of the murder (investigation, classification as hate or bias crime, prosecution of the perpetrator etc.) would be very helpful.

  The preliminary results of TGEU's and Liminalis' Trans Murder Monitoring project will be presented in the new issue of "Liminalis - A Journal for Sex/Gender Emancipation and Resistance," which is to be released in the middle of July 2009 in English, Spanish, and German.

  Update:

  TMM results interim update July/ August 2010: The 2010 interim update (July/August 2010) of the Trans Murder Monitoring Project results have revealed that 93 reported incidents occurred worldwide from January 2010 to June 2010 - every 2^nd day! [Press Release (PDF file).]

• Potential Hate Crimes Protection re: Transgendered in Nevada: Crimes against transgender added to hate crimes under legislation considered in Nevada:
  (March 17, 2011; Carson City, NV, AP) "Crimes motivated because a person is transgender could be eligible for harsher penalties under a bill moving forward in the Nevada Legislature. SB180 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 4-3 on party lines Thursday, adding offenses based on one's "gender identity or expression" to a list of hate crimes that already includes crimes motivated by sexual orientation. Republicans said they opposed the bill because it elevates one group of victims above others. Las Vegas Republican Sen. Michael Roberson said the term "gender identity" was too broad. Death penalty foes triumphed with an amendment keeping transgender hate crime charges off the list of aggravations that can push a defendant closer to capital punishment. SB180 is sponsored by Democratic Las Vegas Sen. David Parks and heads for a vote on the Senate floor."

• 33.2% of transgender youth have attempted suicide [Clements-Nolle K., et al. (2006) "< a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17135115">Attempted suicide among transgender persons: The influence of gender-based discrimination and victimization." Journal of Homosexuality 51: 53-69.]

• The Sidebar 'Trans Facts' In: A pound of flesh: The cost of transsexual health care in Canada, by Calvin Neufeld, Briarpatch Magazine, March / April 2009 lists the following statistics:
  • Some clinical reports suggest that over 70 per cent of transsexuals have contemplated suicide at some point in their lives and between 17 per cent and 20 per cent have attempted suicide at least once. [Source: quoted as Egale Canada, but no link provided]

  • Suicide rates are significantly lower in treated transgender patients than in non-treated. Untreated (male) transsexual patients have suicide rates as high as 20 per cent while treated transmen have suicide rates of less than 1 per cent. [Source: The book "Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men: A Guide For Health Care Providers. A PDF copy (98 pp; 2005; see p. 28 for the quoted statistic) is available here.]

• Echoing the Egale Canada statistic, above, a recent survey reports that more than half of transgender bullying victims have attempted suicide, as described in this article (October 201) from the EDGE, Boston, describing results from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey [the key findings from the NTDS are also summarized in my Prefacing Comments, above):
  A new survey indicates more than half of transgender and gender non-conforming people who were bullied, harassed or assaulted in school have attempted suicide. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality conducted the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. And the results are particularly alarming, in light of the spate of recent LGBT teenage suicides. "From our experience working with transgender people, we had prepared ourselves for high rates of suicide attempts, but we didn't expect anything like this," said NCTE executive director Mara Keisling. "Our study participants reported attempting suicide at a rate more than 25 times the national average."

  Forty-one percent of respondents reported they had attempted suicide, compared with an estimated 1.6 percent of Americans. "These shocking and disheartening numbers speak to the urgency of ending bullying in our nation's schools and ending discrimination in our nation's workplaces," said NGLTF executive director Rea Carey. "We know from the recent rash of suicides among young people who have been bullied just how critical it is that we act now and act decisively to save lives." The National Transgender Discrimination Survey is the most extensive survey of trans discrimination ever done. It includes responses from more than 6,400 people from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

  Among those who had been bullied, harassed or assaulted while they were in school, half reported having attempted suicide. Most notably, suicide attempt rates rise dramatically when teachers were the reported perpetrators: 59 percent of those harassed or bullied by teachers, 76 percent among those who were physically assaulted by teachers and 69 percent among those who were sexually assaulted.

  Of those who reported they had to "leave school because the harassment was so bad," 68 percent said they attempted suicide. Sixty-one percent of respondents who expressed a trans identity or gender non-conformity while in school reported significant abuses in educational settings. From elementary through graduate school, the survey showed high levels of harassment and bullying (59 percent,) physical assault (23 percent,) sexual assault (8 percent) and expulsion from school (5 percent,) all on the basis of gender identity or expression.

  Other findings include 35 percent of the participants who had been bullied, harassed, assaulted or expelled because of their gender identity or expression while in school said they used drugs or alcohol to cope with the effects, compared to 21 percent of those who had not had similar experiences in school; 25 percent reported they were currently or formerly homeless, compared to 14 percent of those who did not report mistreatment in schools; and those who reported they had to "leave school because the harassment was so bad," had an HIV infection rate of more than 5 percent, which is more than eight times the HIV infection rate for the general population.

  [snip]

  Seattle: a case study for a trans-positive city According to Ingersoll Gender Center officials, Greater Seattle's trans population is well in excess of 3,000 people. This figure puts Seattle has the city with the second highest concentration in the country after San Francisco. "The size of the trans community in Seattle is a function of the positive environment here," said Breanna Anderson, co-president of Ingersoll Gender Center. "The positive environment here has multiple components. Seattle is generally progressive with a laid-back culture. In addition, we have a strong and progressive queer community." [snip]

  From June 2006 to June 2007, Ingersoll conducted "Perspectives Northwest," a needs assessment and community survey. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said their income is less than $20,000 a year, 41.5 percent reported employment discrimination based on gender identity and expression, 14.7 percent of respondents said they became homeless or lost housing and 30 percent said they are hate crimes victims-with 65 percent of respondents believing their gender identity or expression led to their victimization. "I would cautiously characterize the climate for transgender persons living and working in Seattle as very good and progressively getting better, as a result of persistent and focused efforts to make it so," said Anderson. "I want to be cautious in making that statement because the experience of transfolk in Seattle, as anywhere, is extremely personal and highly varied. Depending on personal circumstances such as personal opportunity, race, ethnicity and family environment, individuals may experience a wonderful acceptance support and low levels of personal discrimination or tremendous personal, emotional and economic distress."

  [snip]

• British Columbia: Although not specifically trans-related, this B.C.-based study (B.C. Study Shows Gay Youth Face High Suicide Risk, The McCreary Centre Society, June 1999) nevertheless deserves mention, as transgender youth face even greater obstacles than their GLB peers:
  "Gay youth in British Columbia face an alarmingly high risk of suicide, according to a new report on youth health released this week by The McCreary Centre Society. Nearly half of the young people surveyed in a McCreary Centre Study said they have attempted suicide at least once, with their first suicide attempt at an average age of 13. The study is the first health survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth ever undertaken in BC It was conducted by The McCreary Centre Society -- a non-governmental, non-profit youth health research organization -- with the collaboration of several community agencies and youth groups. It was funded by Vancouver Foundation, Canada's largest community foundation, which makes about 600 grants annually to support charitable organizations throughout BC.

  The report, titled "Being Out" is based on surveys of youth between the ages of 13 and 19 in the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions, Victoria, Nanaimo and Prince George. It shows that youth who "come out" during their adolescent years often experience rejection, isolation and self-doubt. This makes them more at risk than other youth of having problems related to drug and tobacco use, sexually transmitted diseases and a variety of other health concerns. "Being Out" also shows that lesbian and gay youth do not see their schools as safe or supportive environments. Nearly 40% say they feel like outsiders in school, and over 80% said they heard homo-phobic remarks from other students at school. A sense of alienation has been cited as a factor in recent incidents of school violence.

  Other key findings of the study include:

  • A quarter of the youth surveyed had attempted suicide in the past year.

  • Most non-heterosexual youth are reluctant to disclose their sexual orientation to teachers, doctors and social service providers.

  • Lesbian and gay youth are more likely than heterosexual youth to engage in self-destructive behaviours such as substance abuse and risky sexual activities.

  • Almost 50% of gay and lesbian youth have very low self-esteem.

  • Over half have been physically and/or sexually abused.

  • None of the youth in the survey group gave high ratings to the quality of their family relationships.

  The report makes a number of suggestions for promoting the health of gay and lesbian youth, including action to discourage discrimination against homosexuality, support for services to address the specific physical and emotional health needs of gay and lesbian youth, and training programs for professionals working with young people.

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • Nearly two-thirds of participants reported having thoughts of killing themselves in their lifetimes, including 79% of the FTMs and 58% of the MTFs. Among MTFs reporting suicidal ideation, 61% felt their gender issues were either most of or the main reason for their suicidal ideation, compared to 39% of FTMs. Among participants who reported suicidal ideation, 41% made suicide attempts, with similar attempt rates for MTFs and FTMs.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• United Kingdom (non-referenced comment): "As a result of transphobia, transgender people are almost twice as likely to have considered suicide in the last five years than non-trans people." [Transphobia Statistics, West Sussex Grid for Learning, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex, U.K.]

• Transgender Suicide Ideation and Attempts - Average % (and range) of respondents in cross-study analyses:
  • Suicide ideation: 51% (range: 35 - 65%)

  • Attempted suicide: 26% (16 - 34%)

  • Source: Fig. 8 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Dr. Hughes - quoted in the article linking the victimization of GLB persons to substance abuse, below - is also a co-author on this recent peer-reviewed journal publication:
  Haas, A.P. et al. (2011) "Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: Review and recommendations." Journal of Homosexuality 58: 10-51. [A HTML copy is available here, while the PDF version is available here.]

  Included in this publication is this section:

  Suicide And Suicide Risk In Transgender Populations

  Little information is available about completed suicide among transgender individuals (Mathy, 2003). Because of researchers' greater access to transsexuals who seek medical treatments such as sex reassignment surgery or hormone therapy, studies have tended to focus on this subgroup of the overall transgender population. One clinical study reported a disproportionate number of suicide deaths among Dutch transsexual women and men receiving hormone therapy, compared to the general population (van Kesteren et al., 1997). Another international review of studies that followed over 2,000 persons in 13 countries who had undergone gender reassignment surgery identified 16 possible suicide deaths (Pfäfflin & Junge, 1998). If confirmed as actual suicides, these figures would translate to an alarmingly high rate of 800 suicides for every 100,000 post-surgery transsexuals. By contrast, the current suicide rate for the overall U.S. population is 11.5 suicides per 100,000 people. It is not clear whether this very high suicide rate still exists among transexuals.

  Suicide attempt rates ranging from 19 to 25% have also been reported among clinical samples of transgender individuals seeking surgical gender reassignment (Dixen, Maddever, van Maasdam, & Edwards, 1984). More recent data from nonrandom surveys of self-identified transgender people found that up to one third of respondents report making one or more lifetime suicide attempts (Clements-Nolle, Noelle, Guzman, et al., 2001; Clements-Nolle, Marx, & Katz, 2006; Grossman & D'Augelli, 2007; Kenagy, 2005; Whittle et al., 2007; Xavier, Honnold, & Bradford, 2007). Suicide attempts appear to occur more frequently among transgender adolescents and young adults than among older age groups (Xavier et al., 2007).

  Associated factors identified in these surveys include high rates of depression, anxiety and substance abuse (Clements-Nolle, Noelle, Guzman, et al., 2001; Mathy, 2003; Xavier et al., 2007). Transgender youth have reported parental rejection to be a particular stressor (Grossman & D'Augelli, 2007), and frequent experiences of discrimination have been reported by transgender adults (Clements-Nolle, Marx, & Katz, 2006). Preliminary findings from a 2009 U.S. National Transgender Discrimination Survey (National Center for Transgender Equality & the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2009), which included almost 6,500 transgender and gender-variant people identified through a network of 800 trans-related service and advocacy organizations, support groups, list-servs and online social networks, showed that 47% reported an adverse job action because of transgender status. This included not getting a job (44%), being denied a promotion (23%), or being fired (26%); Black and multiracial respondents were especially likely to report these events. Overall, respondents reported being unemployed at twice the rate of the population as a whole, and only 40% reported having employer-based insurance coverage, which directly impacts access to health and mental health care. Almost all (97%) reported having experienced mistreatment or harassment on the job, including invasion of privacy, verbal abuse and being purposefully referred to as the wrong gender.

  Little research has compared prevalence of suicidal behavior in transgender people to other population groups. One study using a nonclinical sample of over 40,000 largely U.S. volunteers who completed an internet survey (Mathy, 2003) found 73 individuals who identified themselves as transgender. This group's responses related to suicidal behavior were compared to those reported by six other groups: heterosexual males and females, homosexual males and females, and males and females who matched the transgender individuals on nationality, age, sexual orientation, relationship status, and population size of the area in which they resided. Transgender respondents had a higher rate of reported suicide attempts than any group except homosexual females. Although sexual orientation did not differentiate transgender attempters from non-attempters, attempters were more likely to report past and current psychiatric treatment and problems related to substance use.

  Cited references:

  • Clements-Nolle, K. et al. (2001) "HIV prevalence, risk behaviors, health care use, and mental health status of transgender persons: Implications for public health intervention." American Journal of Public Health 91: 915-921.

  • Clements-Nolle, K. et al. (2006) "Attempted suicide among transgender persons: The influence of gender-based discrimination and victimization." Journal of Homosexuality 51: 53-69.

  • Dixen, J.M. et al. (1984) "Psychosocial characteristics of applicants evaluated for surgical gender reassignment." Archives of Sexual Behavior 13: 269-276.

  • Grossman, A.H. and D'Augelli, A.R. (2007) "Transgender youth and life threatening behaviors." Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior 37: 527-537. [Comment - Victoria Stuart: The publication year is 2007, not 2008 as indicated in the paper - corrected above and in this reference.]

  • Kenagy, G.P. (2005) "Transgender health: Findings from two needs assessment studies in Philadelphia." Health & Social Work 30: 19-26.

  • Mathy, R.M. (2003) "Transgender identity and suicidality in a nonclinical sample: Sexual orientation, psychiatric history, and compulsive behaviors." Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality 14: 47-65. [Comments - Victoria Stuart: 1: Not listed in PubMed. 2: The publication year is 2003, not 2002b as indicated in the paper - corrected above and in this reference.]

  • Pfäfflin, F. and Junge, A. (1998) "Thirty years of international follow-up studies after sex reassignment surgery: a comprehensive review, 1961-1991" Symposium, Dusseldorf, Germany [Comment: Victoria Stuart: The lead author's surname is Pfäfflin, not Pfäumlfflin as listed in the paper; corrected above and in this reference. This is a book (more information here).]

  • van Kesteren, P.J. et al. (1997) "Mortality and morbidity in transsexual subjects treated with cross-sex hormones." Clinical Endocrinology 47: 337-342.

  • Whittle, S. et al. (2007). "Engendered penalties: Transgender and transsexual people's experiences of inequality and discrimination. (PDF file; 122 pp.; also available here), from Press For Change and Manchester Metropolitan University, February 2007. A Research Project and Report Commissioned by the Equalities Review. [Comment - Victoria Stuart: The title is misquoted in the research paper as "Endangered penalties ...;" the actual title is "Engendered penalties ..."]

  • Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

    Comment - Victoria Stuart: The 'Executive Summary' of the Xavier et al. report is loaded with (Virginia) transgender statistics; data were gathered on access to regular medical care, transgender-related medical care, HIV prevention and treatment services; HIV knowledge, risk behaviors, testing and status; employment and housing discrimination; sexual and physical violence, social support and self esteem; substance abuse and tobacco use; and suicidal ideation and attempts. Psychosocial variables unique to transgender people were also assessed to examine how they influenced HIV and other risks in this population. "The quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. ... this is the first truly statewide needs assessment survey of a transgender population in the U.S. ..."

• Trans PULSE provides this E-Bulletin (two-page reports intended to provide snapshots of their results in easily-accessible formats): "E-bulletin #2 (English): Ontario's trans communities and suicide." (PDF file). Here are the key points:
  Just-released data from a large U.S. study found that 41% of trans participants had ever attempted suicide in their lifetime, but they did not include information on who might be currently at risk [Grant, J.M. et al. National Transgender Discrimination Survey, by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force]. Trans PULSE has taken a unique snapshot of trans people across Ontario, Canada ... [Heckathorn, D.D. (2002) "Respondent-driven sampling II: Deriving valid population estimates from chain-referral samples of hidden populations." Social Problems 49: 11-34]. We caution that this information is alarming. This situation demands immediate action on the part of our community, policy-makers, service providers and educators. It also underscores the need for parents and families come together to support trans people in Ontario.

  Our Approach: Surveys were completed by 433 trans people age 16 or older who live, work or receive health care in Ontario. To participate, individuals indicated that they fit under the broad umbrella term of "trans," identified with a broad range of gender identities (e.g. transgender, Two-spirit, transsexual, genderqueer), and were not required to have begun a social or medical gender transition.

  Key Findings: Table 1 shows the percentage of trans people age 16 or older in Ontario that we estimate have ever considered or attempted suicide. Among trans Ontarians, 50% have ever seriously considered suicide because they were trans, and an additional 27% have considered suicide for reasons they felt were unrelated; thus, about three-quarters of trans were unrelated; thus people have ever seriously considered suicide. 43% had attempted suicide at some point in their lives. We also looked at the percentages for recent consideration and attempts of suicide, focusing on just the past year in trans people's lives. There were no differences in recent suicidal considerations or attempts between those in the male-to-female and female-to-male spectrums, or between members of racialized and non-racialized groups. However, recent considerations and attempts were higher amongst youth than adults age 25 or more.

  Table 1. Life History of Suicide Consideration and Attempts: Trans Ontarians of all Ages
  • Ever seriously considered suicide? Yes: 77%; No: 23%
  • Ever seriously considered suicide because trans? Yes: 50%; No: 50%
  • Ever attempted suicide? Yes: 43%; No: 57%

  Ontario trans youth and suicide. Our results point strongly to the special vulnerabilities experienced by trans youth. Table 2 shows that trans youth (up to age 24 as per the United Nations: Youth and the United Nations: Frequently asked questions) were nearly twice as likely to seriously consider suicide as those over age 25, and almost three times as likely to have attempted suicide within the past year. It is also important to bear in mind that estimates of suicide are almost always underestimates, in that only the survivors complete surveys or tell their stories to researchers.
  Table 2. Recent Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours by Age Group: Trans Ontarians
  • Seriously considered suicide in past year?
    16-24 years: Yes: 47%; No: 53%
    25+ years: Yes: 27%; No: 73%
    Total: Yes: 32%; No: 68%

  • Attempted suicide in past year?
    16-24 years: Yes: 19%; No: 81%
    25+ years: Yes: 7%; No: 93%
    Total: Yes: 10%; No: 90%

  Transphobic violence and suicide. Our estimates show that because they were trans, 20% of trans Ontarians have been the targets of physical or sexual assaults and another 34% have experienced verbal harassment or threats. Table 3 shows that those who have ever experienced physical or sexual assault due to being trans were almost twice as likely to have seriously considered suicide within the past year as those who have not experienced trans-related violence or verbal harassment, and over seven times as likely to have attempted it. ...

• It is difficult - if not impossible - to separately describe the statistics regarding illicit drug use, addictions, and the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, as for example, the sharing of needles during drug use can also transmit the HIV, etc.

• A rather comprehensive report entitled "Issues of Transgendered Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders" by Pauline Park, co-founder, New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy and John Manzon-Santos, Executive Director, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center (October 2000), among other issues inlcudes the following descriptions:
  Little specific information exists on transgendered communities as a whole. To date there has been no community assessment of Asian American and Pacific Islander transgendered population in the U.S. From a behavioral health perspective, transgendered people are often subsumed under the larger category of gay, bisexual, and other Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). Few tracking systems allow for gender identification beyond male and female. One watershed effort was mounted in 1997 by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The Transgender Community Health Project (TCHP) became the first study (qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys) designed to assess HIV risk among male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) transgendered individuals. 505 anonymous surveys and HIV tests were administered, and risk behaviors inclusive of and beyond HIV were reported. Forty-nine, or 13%, were completed by AAPI [Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders] participants.

  Although TCHP data is limited in that its cohort resides in the City and County of San Francisco and its purpose was to assess HIV risk specifically, transgendered AAPIs are everywhere, often building visible communities in metropolitan areas across the U.S. More comprehensive studies on a national scope are urgently needed for transgendered people across races, including AAPIs. To the extent that findings from the TCHP study can be extrapolated as one example of an urban area where transgendered AAPIs live, work, and socialize, consider the alarming statistics below. Of the total sample of transgendered respondents (%MTF / %FTM):

  • 52% / 41% had no health insurance
  • 53% / 21% had unstable housing
  • 65% / 29% had a history of incarceration
  • 23% / 20% had been hospitalized for mental health
  • 32% / 32% have attempted suicide
  • 53% / 31% had been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease
  • 35% / 2% tested HIV-positive
  • 80% / 31% had a history of sex work
  • 59% / 59% had a history of forced sex
  • 91% / 57% use hormones
  • 65% / 54% inject hormones
  • 34% / 18% inject street drugs
  • 63% / 91% report sharing syringes

  According to the Comprehensive HIV Prevention Plan for San Francisco, transgendered respondents persons are at increased risk for HIV infection due to a combination of biological, economic, psychological, behavioral, social/situational and access-related cofactors. Primary among these are a much higher incidence of commercial sex work, substance abuse, poverty, lack of access to HIV/AIDS and medical services, and discrimination by AIDS service organizations as well as employers. In particular, commercial sex work, largely a result of employment discrimination and poverty is closely associated with: increased rates of injection drug use as well as substance abuse, increased STD rates, increased rates of rape and coerced unprotected sex, increased trauma to tissues during sex, history of child sexual abuse and abusive relationships, as well as dramatically increased numbers of sexual encounters and numbers of sexual partners of higher risk.

  The Plan also suggests that a transgendered sex worker's risk for HIV infection may be different from other groups. One study reports that transgendered sex workers are more likely to have receptive anal sex with their paying partners than their primary partners, a behavior with direct consequences for HIV and STD infection if protection is foregone. Preoperative transgendered sex workers who are trying to earn money for gender confirmation surgery or sexual reassignment may perceive a monetary incentive for unprotected sex as beneficial in the moment, despite the associated health risks. Feminization through hormone therapy, hair removal, plastic surgery, breast implants, and sexual reassignment surgery, although costly, is often a transgendered individual's first priority.

  Sharing unsterilized needles and syringes during injection drug use or hormone use is also common within the MTF transgendered community. Injection drug use, and in particular injected speed or crystal methamphetamine use in combination with commercial sex work is a common practice. Injection hormone therapy is seen as a positive component of the gender confirmation process, and therefore safe, though it poses many of the same HIV transmission risks as injection drug use.

  Rejection and isolation are integral aspects of a transgendered sex worker's life. Transgendered individuals are often marginalized from the mainstream gay and lesbian communities and many are ostracized by their families of origin. As a result, they have low self-esteem, neglect their own health, and are fatalistic about the future. Discrimination creates significant barriers for transgendered persons who want to maintain or seek regular employment. Eliminating discrimination during access to services is particularly important for disenfranchised groups such as transgendered individuals and sex workers. The provider of services is seen initially as a representative of a larger social system which is perceived as antagonistic to their well being. Based upon direct experience, many transgendered people distrust service providers, feel misunderstood by them, and believe that providers regard them as expendable, which further prevents access of services.

  From the TCHP study, some AAPI-specific data can be gleaned. Consistent with a high HIV-seroprevalence among transgendered AAPI participants (27%), they reported high levels of HIV risk behavior, including unprotected anal intercourse and other sexual activities, as well as other co-factors such as sharing needles for the injection of hormones and street drugs. Among transgendered AAPI sex workers, the drugs of choice are injected and non-injected speed, such as crystal methamphetamine, which helps them to work late into the night. These individuals are often isolated from traditional support networks available in AAPI families and communities while language and cultural differences often limit access to health and human services. Finally, transgendered AAPIs engage in high-risk behavior but their perception of susceptibility is low, a reality consistent with gay, bisexual, and other MSM AAPIs. The transgendered AAPI population in San Francisco is estimated to number 2,500, or 40% of the local transgender population, and tend to be immigrants and refugees from Asian countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and China where transgendered individuals have a distinct social role.

• Bisexual students in Massachusetts and Vermont are reported to be three to six times more likely to use cocaine than their straight classmates [Robin, L. et al. (2002) "Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school students." Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 156: 349-355.]

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • On a lifetime basis, marijuana (67%), painkillers (42%), powder cocaine (32%), and downers (27%) were the most popular drugs used by participants. FTMs exhibited higher rates of lifetime use and earlier first use of drugs than the MTFs. On a lifetime basis, 6% of participants had injected drugs (not including hormones) including 8% of FTMs and 5% of MTFs. Among all IDUs, 8 (40%) reported sharing needles to inject their drugs. Participants reported much lower levels of their current drug use, with marijuana (18%), downers (5%), painkillers (5%), poppers (3%), and powder cocaine (3%) the most popular. Ninety-three percent of participants had drunk alcohol in their lifetimes, and a quarter of those felt it had been a problem, including 39% of FTMs and 18% of MTFs. Nearly two thirds of participants had used tobacco in their lifetimes, including 75% of the FTMs and 59% of the MTFs.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• The following systematic review of US-based studies presents a comprehensive synthesis of the prevalence of HIV infection, other STDs, and risk behaviors of MTF and FTM transgender persons. Aggregating across studies:
  • Nearly 11.8% of MTFs self-reported that they were infected with the HIV virus, with substantially higher rates of infection reported in studies comprised chiefly of African Americans

  • 27.7% of MTFs had confirmed HIV infection, and higher rates were found among African American MTFs compared to white or Hispanic MTFs. It is alarming to note that the overall rate of HIV infection among MTFs in these four studies exceeded the 25% prevalence of HIV infection among MSM [Men having Sex with Men] in five US cities (Sifakis et al. 2005). Furthermore, elevated rates among African American MTFs suggest that the dual stigma of being transgender and a racial minority may exacerbate HIV risk (Garofalo et al. 2006).

  • Source (including cited references): Herbst, J.H. et al. and the HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Synthesis Team (2008) "Estimating HIV prevalence and risk behaviors of transgender persons in the United States: A systematic review." AIDS and Behavior 12: 1-17.

• Since the late 1990s, many needs assessment studies have been conducted in U.S. cities and locales. Together, the findings paint a bleak picture of HIV/AIDS among transgender people and the picture, especially among the most vulnerable within the community. The needs assessment studies have consistently found high levels of HIV infection among male-to-female (MTF) transgender people, particularly MTF sex workers. High HIV infection rates among MTFs were found across the country:
  • The lowest level (4%) was found in Minneapolis-St. Paul

  • In Chicago and Philadelphia, 15% and 19% of adult MTFs self identified as being HIV-positive

  • 22% of MTFs surveyed in New York and Atlanta were HIV-positive

  • Higher rates were found in Houston (27%), Washington, D.C. (32%), and San Francisco (25%, 35%, and 47% in various reports)

  • Among a sample of MTF sex workers in Atlanta, 68% were HIV-positive.

  • While almost all HIV studies of transgender people include MTFs, inclusion of FTMs in studies is not as common. The limited data shows that, compared to MTFs, HIV-infection levels among FTMs are low (e.g., 2% in San Francisco and 3% in Washington, D.C.).

  • Source: The Invisible: A Quick Look At the HIV/AIDS Epidemic In A Group Often Overlooked. Gretchen P. Kenagy, Ph.D., MSW, In: Positively Aware, July / August 2008.

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • Nearly 96% of the participants reported they had sex in their lifetimes, including 97% of MTFs and 94% of FTMs. Sixty-two percent of the MTFs had sex with non-transgender men, 61% with non-transgender women, 16% with other transgender women, and 8% with FTMs. Eighty-seven percent of the FTMs had sex with non-transgender women, 54% with non-transgender men, 18% with other FTMs, and 8% with transgender women. Eighty-four percent of FTMs and 72% of MTFs reported having sex in the past six months. Among the recently sexually active MTFs, 60% had sex with non-transgender men, 37% with non-transgender women, 8% with other MTFs, and 4% with FTMs in the past six months.

    Among the recently sexually active FTMs, 82% had sex with non-transgender women, 18% with non-transgender men, 11% with other FTMs, and 3% with MTFs in the past six months. Among the MTFs with primary partners, 50% never used condoms or other protective barriers, compared to 22% who always used them. Among the FTMs with primary partners, 51% never used condoms or other protective barriers, compared to nearly 19% who always used them. Among the MTFs with other partners besides their primary partner, 39% always used condoms or other protective barriers, and 10% rarely or never did. Among the FTMs with other partners, 53% always used condoms or other protective barriers, with 13% never using them. Twenty-four percent of participants were abstaining from sex at the time of the survey, including 28% of MTFs and 17% of FTMs.

  • The most commonly reported sources of information about HIV and AIDS were participants' doctor's offices (42%), television, radio and magazines (40%), internet searches (39%), their peers (34%), and school (32%). Overall, FTMs scored higher in both their HIV knowledge and perception of HIV/AIDS risk. Two-thirds of participants had received printed HIV prevention and education materials, but they were rated the lowest among the four prevention and education services for quality and sensitivity to the participants as transgender persons. Twenty-eight percent of participants had encountered HIV outreach services, and 27% had attended an HIV prevention group or workshop. As with transgender care services, FTMs consistently ranked service quality and sensitivity lower than their MTF peers, especially in the sensitivity of providers towards them as transgender persons.

    Eighty-two percent of all participants had been tested for HIV, with 36% getting their most recent test less than six months ago and 58% within the past year. The most common reason given for not getting tested was always having safer sex (38%). Over a third of those tested had had unprotected sex since their last HIV test, including almost half of the FTMs and almost a third of MTFs. Among the 266 participants who reported their HIV status, 10.5% were HIV positive, nearly 86% were negative and 4% did not know their results. None of the tested FTMs who reported their HIV status was positive. Among the MTFs who reported their status, 16% (28 participants) were HIV positive. Most found out about their infections two or more years ago. The most commonly reported means of becoming infected was unprotected sex with a non-transgender man (86%).

    Among the HIV positive transgender women, 22 (79%) were taking HIV medications at the time of the survey. Of the 22 taking HIV medications, 10 (46%) were also taking transgender-related hormones with those HIV medications. The doctors of 9 of the 10 HIV+ transgender women knew they were taking hormones as well as HIV medications, and 7 had discussed possible interactions between their hormones and HIV medications. Among HIV treatment services, HIV medications were the most utilized service, followed by case management, CTR, support groups, ER visits, and outpatient care. The least utilized services were substance abuse treatment, transportation services and home health care. Among those services rated by 10 or more HIV+ participants, HIV-related emergency room visits was rated lowest for both quality and provider sensitivity. Reported barriers to HIV treatment were low, and only a few participants who had encountered a barrier to a treatment service reported a reason for being unable to obtain it. The most difficult HIV-related services to obtain were HIV-related financial assistance (by 7 participants) and HIV medications.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• It is clear from various studies and reports that victimization of persons (particularly GLBT persons) is a risk factor leading to other adverse behaviors, including substance abuse and suicide. Although not statistical in nature, this recent news item is illustrative of this fact, and discusses the link between victimization in GLB persons [Comment - Victoria Stuart: and once again, the T, Transpersons, in GBLT are ignored!] and substance abuse: Strong Link Found Between Victimization, Substance Abuse:
  (Feb. 24, 2011) A strong link between victimization experiences and substance abuse has been discovered by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The correlation is especially prevalent among gays, lesbians and bisexuals -- more so than in heterosexuals, says Tonda Hughes, professor and interim head of health systems science in the UIC College of Nursing. Hughes is lead author of the study, published in the journal Addiction. Researchers compared victimization experiences of unwanted sexual activity, neglect, physical violence, and assault with a weapon, across four sexual-identity subgroups -- heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual, or "not sure." The study used data collected nationally from 34,635 adults from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Hughes and her research team wondered if sexual-minority women and men are at a heightened risk for victimization. The results, Hughes said, showed that they are.

  Lesbian and bisexual women were more than twice as likely as heterosexual women to report any victimization over their lifetime. Lesbians, gay men and bisexual women also reported a greater number of victimization experiences than did heterosexuals. Three times as many lesbians as heterosexual women reported childhood sexual abuse. One possible explanation for this disproportionality, Hughes said, is that lesbians are more willing to acknowledge and report this experience. "Gays and lesbians tend to be more self-reflective," she said. "This means they are more likely to think about and report negative or stigmatizing life experiences. Heterosexuals may not be inclined to do so." Gay men also had high rates of victimization, with about half of them reporting any lifetime victimization. They reported significantly higher rates of childhood sexual abuse, childhood neglect, partner violence and assault with a weapon than heterosexual men.

  Not only are there higher rates of violence and victimization among sexual minorities, but there is also a higher rate of substance abuse, Hughes said. Regardless of sexual identity, women who reported two or more victimization experiences had two to four times the prevalence of alcohol dependence, drug abuse or drug dependence as women who reported no victimization, she said. The research also concluded that gay, lesbian and bisexual youth may use substances to cope with adverse psychological and interpersonal effects of victimization, increasing the risk for further victimization from others, she said.

  Dr. Hughes (quoted in the preceding article) is also a co-author on this recent journal publication: Haas, A.P. et al. (2011) "Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: Review and recommendations." Journal of Homosexuality 58: 10-51.

• In contrast to the preceding entry (of the association between victimization of transpersons and increased rates of substance abuse and suicide, etc.), a recent study provides evidence that family acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth protects against depression, substance abuse and suicide. Again, this report is not statistical in nature, per se, but is included here due to the importance and relevance of the information presented and the overall quality (a peer-reviewed study):
  For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between accepting family attitudes and behaviors towards their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) children and significantly decreased risk and better overall health in adulthood. The study shows that specific parental and caregiver behaviors -- such as advocating for their children when they are mistreated because of their LGBT identity or supporting their gender expression -- protect against depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in early adulthood. In addition, LGBT youth with highly accepting families have significantly higher levels of self-esteem and social support in young adulthood.

  Despite all the recent attention to health risks and disparities for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth, prior to this study, little was known about how families express acceptance and support for their LGBT children. Moreover, no prior research had examined the relationship between family acceptance of LGBT adolescents and health and mental health concerns in emerging adulthood. "At a time when the media and families are becoming acutely aware of the risk that many LGBT youth experience, our findings that family acceptance protects against suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression and substance abuse offer a gateway to hope for LGBT youth and families that struggle with how to balance deeply held religious and personal values with love for their LGBT children," said Dr. Caitlin Ryan, PhD, Director of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University. "I have worked on LGBT health and mental health for 35 years and putting our research into practice by developing a new model to help diverse families support their LGBT children is the most hopeful work I've ever done."

  Ann P. Haas, Ph.D., Director of Prevention Projects for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, noted, "With this new groundbreaking study, Ryan and her colleagues have provided the strongest evidence to date that acceptance and support from parents and caregivers promote well-being among LGBT youth and help protect them from depression and suicidal behavior. These findings open the door to a whole new focus on how families can be helped to more fully engage in the kind of behaviors that reduce suicide risk in LGBT adolescents and young adults." "Times have changed," said Stephen Russell, PhD, President Elect of the Society for Research on Adolescence and a consultant to the Family Acceptance Project. "More and more families want to be accepting of their children. Yet, many families still struggle when a child comes out as LGBT. It's essential to have research like this to deeply understand the ways that families show their acceptance, so that we can identify how to support families."

  The study, authored by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and her team from the Family Acceptance Project, which shows that accepting behaviors of parents and caregivers towards their LGBT children are protective against mental health risks -- including suicidal behaviors -- has critical implications for changing how families relate to their LGBT children and how LGBT youth are served by a wide range of providers across disciplines and systems of care, including custodial care systems such as foster care. The study was funded by The California Endowment, a health foundation dedicated to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for under-served individuals and communities.

  Major Research Findings:

  • Family accepting behaviors towards LGBT youth during adolescence protect against suicide, depression and substance abuse.

  • LGBT young adults who reported high levels of family acceptance during adolescence had significantly higher levels of self-esteem, social support and general health, compared to peers with low levels of family acceptance.

  • LGBT young adults who reported low levels of family rejection during adolescence were over three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and to report suicide attempts, compared to those with high levels of family acceptance.

  • High religious involvement in families was strongly associated with low acceptance of LGBT children.

  Dr. Ryan and her team at the Family Acceptance Project are currently developing a new evidence-based family model of wellness, prevention and care for LGBT adolescents, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This model uses a behavioral approach to help ethnically and religiously diverse families decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBT children to reduce risk for suicide, depression, substance abuse, and HIV, to promote well-being and to prevent homelessness and placement in custodial care. This systems-level approach helps communities and providers to engage diverse families as allies in decreasing their LGBT children's risk and increasing their well-being while respecting the family's deeply held values. This work is being conducted in English, Spanish and Chinese with families from all ethnic backgrounds, including immigrant and very low income families, and those whose children are out-of-home in foster care and juvenile justice facilities.

  The existing approach to serving LGBT adolescents by pediatricians, nurses, social workers, school counselors and others has focused almost exclusively on serving LGBT youth alone and through peer support, rather than in the context of their families, and does not consider the impact of family reactions on the adolescent's health and well-being. In addition to providing direct services for families with LGBT children and working with communities in the U.S., the Family Acceptance Project is collaborating with organizations, providers, advocates and families to develop an international movement of family acceptance to promote wellness and healthy futures for LGBT children, youth and young adults.

  "Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults" is the third in a series of research papers on outcomes related to family acceptance and rejection of LGBT adolescents, supporting positive LGBT youth development, school experiences and providing family-related care to be released by the Family Acceptance Project. These studies will be published in peer-reviewed journals designed for providers, caregivers and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines and practice settings.

  • Journal reference: Ryan, C. et al. (2010) "Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults." Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing 23: 205-213. [PDF copy]

• The following statistics describing transgender patients in Alberta, Canada are excerpted from Sex-change funding cut 'matter of life and death:' Province angers transgendered by delisting surgical procedure, by Jodie Sinnema, The Edmonton Journal, April 09, 2009, which cites the source as the Gender Clinic at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton:
  • Between 2005 and 2008, the Gender Clinic in Edmonton saw 138 patients, of which 99 were male to female, and 39 female to male.

  • From 1996 to 2008, 368 patients were seen at the clinic, with 40 per cent having had gender reassignment surgery.

  • Of those patients, 45 per cent had a university education, more than 77 per cent were employed and 11.8 per cent were students.

  • A study of patients who had gender reassignment surgery and treatment at the Gender Clinic showed none had any regrets about their surgery.

  • The Alberta government funded up to 16 patients per year to go to Montreal for the [gender reassignment] surgery.

  • Comment - Victoria Stuart: In a highly controversial and hotly-contested unilateral decision, in April 2009 the Alberta government delisted / stopped funding of Gender Reassignment Surgery.

• Health Care: Draconian and irrational exclusions from health care coverage are still the norm. It is difficult to attribute transgender health care exclusions to anything other than a mix of transphobia and ignorance:
  • The City of San Francisco, a self-insuring employer, provided coverage for SRS from July 2001 to July 2004, at the cost of an additional $1.70 per month per enrolled individuals. At the end of July 2004, the City had collected an additional $4.3 million while paying out only $156,000 on seven SRS claims.

  • More statistics are available, and the situation becomes at once more complicated and clearer when you break things down by race, gender identity, and location. Transwomen of color face severe oppression across the board. The interconnectedness of oppressions both at a specific point in time and across a lifetime becomes clear.

  • Source: Cold Showers and Statistics, posted July 07, 2007 by Richard M. Juang at the Trans Group Blog. Note also the Comments that accompany this post.

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • Seventy-three percent of participants had health insurance, and 62% had a doctor they saw regularly for health care. Forty-six percent of all participants had to educate their regular doctors about their health care needs as a transgender person, including just over half of the FTMs. Slightly over half of participants felt they would be either uncomfortable or very uncomfortable discussing their transgender status or transgender-specific health care needs with a doctor they did not know, including two-thirds of FTMs. Twenty-four percent of participants had experienced discrimination by a doctor or other health care provider due to their transgender status or gender expression.

  • Both MTF and FTM participants became aware at a median age of 10 years that their gender identities (their internal sense of their gender) did not match their bodies or physical appearances. FTMs sought treatment for their gender differences earlier than their MTF peers. Seventy-two percent had received counseling or psychotherapy, and 48% had received transgender hormonal therapy. However, participants reported that these services, along with transgender-related surgery, were also the most difficult to obtain. Across all transgender-related services, the most common barriers were inability to pay for the services, their health insurance plans not covering the service, and not knowing if the service was available in their area. Only a third of FTMs received transgender-sensitive gynecological care, and they rated it lower than MTFs for provider sensitivity. Twenty-eight percent of FTMs reported needing but not obtaining transgender-sensitive gynecological care. FTMs consistently rated the quality of care they received and their provider sensitivity lower than MTFs.

  • Fifty-eight percent of all participants had taken either estrogen or testosterone for transgender-related body transformation during their lifetimes, including nearly two-thirds of MTFs and 41% of FTMs. Forty-eight percent were taking hormones at the time of the survey. Among those not currently taking hormones and those who had never taken hormones, just over half (52%) were planning to take hormones in the future. Half of the hormone-experienced participants had obtained their hormones from someone other than a doctor (from friends, on the street or through the internet) including nearly 60% of MTFs and 22% of FTMs. Nearly 46% of the hormone-experienced had injected themselves with hormones or received a hormone injection from someone other than a doctor or nurse, including 71% of FTMs and 37% of the MTFs. Only six participants among the 90 who had injected themselves reported sharing syringes with others, including five MTFs and one FTM. Forty-two MTF participants (19%) and two FTM participants (2%) reported injection silicone use, with nine ISUs (21%) sharing needles. Nearly 13% of MTFs had undergone genital surgeries, and 22% of FTMs had undergone chest surgeries. Just 3% of FTMs underwent genital sex reassignment.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• Results from the Transgender Veterans Survey (PDF file; August 21, 2008; sponsored by TAVA, The Transgender American Veterans Association; see also this Press Release) authoritatively describe discrimination directed against transgender American veterans:
  The Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara has released the findings of a survey, conducted by Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), that shows that transgender veterans are being turned away and being mistreated in high numbers by Veterans Administration medical facilities. The survey of 827 U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel mark the first major empirical findings on transgender people in the military. This represents a strong sampling from what is estimated to be approximately 300,000 veterans in the US who identify as being transgender. The Palm Center analysis of the data, released today, showed that:
  • Over a third of survey respondents reported having experienced some form of discrimination in the workplace

  • 10% of respondents were turned away from the VA due to being transgender

  • Many reported other forms of discrimination including lack of respect from VA doctors (22%), non-medical staff (21%), and nurses (13%)

  • Among those who served under the "don't ask, don't tell policy," 1 in 5 were questioned by an officer about their sexual orientation, a violation of the military's DADT policy

  • A third reported there were suspicions about their sexual identity; indicating that officers were confusing that with gender variance.

  "I find it very disturbing that our proud veterans are being turned away by the VA because of who they are," stated Monica Helms, President of Transgender American Veterans Association. "We served our country honorably and proudly and the VA medical benefits we earned should not be denied or diminished simply because of the direction our lives took after discharge from active service."

  Other figures found in the survey also paint a bleak picture of how transgender veterans are being treated. VA medical services offered to other veterans are routinely denied transgender veterans, such as paps smears, mammograms, prostate exams, psychotherapy and hormone treatments. Also, respondents reported they were more likely to be turned away for treatment related to transgender health issues.

  "This important survey and analysis of Transgender Veterans lives," remarked Angela Brightfeather, TAVA's Vice President, "is yet another timely contribution to the growing and irrefutable evidence, reflecting the discrimination and marginalization experienced by all Transgender people in America today."

  Besides asking about the military history of transgender veterans, the survey's questions covered issues outside the discrimination they faced in the military and the VA. One of the areas covered in the survey was employment discrimination:

  • Nearly one third of the survey participants reported having experienced discrimination in the workplace, with 31% reporting that they believed they had not been hired for a job specifically because they were transgender

  • A full 15% reported that they had been fired from a job for being transgender (with 40% of those people having been fired more than once)

  • Nearly 10% reported experiencing open, blatant discrimination from an employer or prospective employer; they were explicitly told that they were being fired (or not hired) because they were transgender.

• Regarding transgender health care, another well-conducted study states: "Even when transgender people can get needed health services, overall treatment options are often limited, confining and not holistic. Across nine studies, an average of 17% of trans people reported problems with access to, or discrimination in receiving, routine medical care [footnote 27]. With trans-specific care in particular, a far higher portion of respondents faced difficulties [footnote 28]. In one famous case depicted in the documentary film Southern Comfort, a transman with ovarian cancer was refused health care by more than two dozen providers, and ultimately died of the disease."
  Footnote 27: As mentioned earlier, all averages are simple averages across studies, instead of weighted averages by the sample size in each study. See Appendix 2 for more information on the studies referenced in this report.

  Footnote 28: Data gathering on this question was so varied and potentially fraught with errors that we have not included specific statistics from it.

  Source: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file).

• The same report also states:
  • Transgender Health Care and Issues:
    • Lack health insurance: 43% (range: 27 - 64%)
    • Problems or discrimination in routine health care: 17% (9 - 39%)
    • Inject silicone: 20% (10 - 33%)
    • Use street hormones: 24% (19 - 32%)
    • Alcohol abuse: 24% (16 - 34%)
    • Drug abuse: 23 (%13 - 36%)
    • Drug and / or alcohol abuse: 44% (40 - 48%)

  • Source: Fig. 7 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

Bathrooms: This topic - the use of gender-appropriate bathroom facilities - is the bane of all transpersons, everywhere. The "bathroom issue" must often be negotiated by transgendered persons who transition at work, and it is the predominant "hot-button" topic and fear-mongering tactic employed by transphobes, including religious groups and others. Anytime someone opposed to transgender rights and freedoms voices their opinions, they will invariably raise the "bathrooms / men in women's showers" issue. It is a tactic intended to incite increased misunderstanding, fear and discrimination toward transgender persons, and highlights the need for legislated protection of our basic rights, including the use of gender-appropriate facilities.

Most recently, here in Canada, we currently (March 2011) have a federal bill that would enshrine transgender and gender identity rights into our national legislation - Bill C-389. It narrowly passed the House of Commons, and now awaits debate in the Senate, as summarized here: "Trans bill is at bottom of Senate pile: Votes not expected to fall along party lines" (Xtra.ca, Feb. 17, 2011). [Parenthetically, I watched, live on the 'Parliamentary' channel CPAC, as our scumbag Prime Minster, Stephen Harper, and most of his Progressive Conservatives voted 'nay' (no) on this bill in the House of Commons.] Here is how Bill C-389 was described in this Toronto Star article "Toronto's flush with unisex washrooms" (March 08, 2011 ):

"Last week the House of Commons narrowly passed what critics call the "bathroom bill," which they argue will allow men to don women's outfits and harass women in the ladies' room. Supporters say the idea is to protect transsexuals and the transgendered - individuals whose gender identity is different from their birth sex - by adding the terms "gender identity" and "gender expression" to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the criminal code. 'It's trans people who face discrimination in gendered spaces' such as bathrooms, explains MP Bill Siksay, who introduced the private member's bill. 'They're the ones who are regularly assaulted, insulted or denied access.' The bill is now awaiting a sponsor in the Senate."

I have no statistics on this issue (bathrooms; bathroom transgressions by transpersons) because, quite simply, they do not exist; I am enormously well-versed in transgender issues, and to my knowledge, concerns regarding inappropriate behavior in such facilities by transpersons is wholly unfounded, and I challenge, here, anyone to document such behavior. The truth is that the vast majority of transgender persons wish nothing more to fade into the background in such places, do their business and exit, quickly and graciously. I am unaware of any instance in which pre-operative (prior to gender reassignment surgery) transgender woman has used a female shower, e.g. at a gym. If there are any such reports of truly inappropriate behavior (e.g. touching; inappropriate exposure) - however infrequent - they would most surely reflect an infraction of good taste and sensitivity, that would rightly be challenged, under those circumstances.

For many transgender people, finding a safe place to use the bathroom is a daily struggle. Even in cities or towns that are generally considered good places to be transgender (like San Francisco or Los Angeles), many transgender people are harassed, beaten and questioned by authorities in both women's and men's rooms. In a 2002 survey conducted by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, nearly 50 per cent of respondents reported having been harassed or assaulted in a public bathroom. [Source: Included among the non-referenced sidebar 'Trans Facts' In: "A pound of flesh: The cost of transsexual health care in Canada," by Calvin Neufeld, Briarpatch Magazine, March / April 2009. The source cited for this statistic in that sidebar item is the excellent report, "Peeing in Peace: A Resource Guide for Transgender Activists and Allies" (PDF file; 48 pp.), Transgender Law Center, 2005.]

This web page is devoted to trans statistics, so I'll terminate this discussion, here. However, I'll mention this additional resource, safe2pee.org.

Overall, transpersons are better-educated yet underemployed, relative to society in general. This disparity affects poorly-educated transpersons especially hard, as they face discrimination and enormous obstacles in securing employment, at any level. This in turn leads to higher rates of high-risk 'behavior,' including sex work, victimization and violence against them, illicit drug use / addiction, ostracism (family, employers, access to medical care), depression / suicide, and infectious disease including STDs and HIV/AIDS. These societal costs could be enormously mitigated by programs and policies, including anti-discrimination laws, anti-hate crime legislation, prosecution of violators, educational and occupational initiatives, and improved access to transgender-related health care, as well as addiction and psychological counseling.
• Education and Trans People [Measure: Average % (range) of respondents]:
  • Did not complete high school: 27% (range: 7 - 37%)
  • High school education or less: 42% (12 - 76%)

  • Source: Fig. 11 In: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Virginia: A quantitative survey was conducted from September 2005 to July 2006 in the state of Virginia as part of the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS), with a final analysis sample of 350, including 229 MTF and 121 FTM. From the report's 'Executive Summary' (cited below):
  • Education: FTM participants were much younger than MTF participants, with median ages of 28 and 40 years, respectively. FTM participants were somewhat better educated than their MTF peers, with 99% having graduated from high school, compared to 90% of MTFs. Nearly 81% of FTMs also reported attending some college, compared to 63% of the MTFs. MTFs reported higher individual and household annual incomes than FTMs. MTFs reported their gender identities mostly as transgender (49%) or women (31%), and FTMs identified mostly as men (37%) or transgender (28%). Forty-five percent of all participants had gender transitioned at the time of the survey, with FTMs having transitioned earlier than MTFs, at a median age of 23 and 28 years, respectively. Another third of participants were planning to transition within 3 years.

  • Employment: One in five of the participants felt they had been denied a job due to their transgender status or gender expression, including 21% of MTFs and 18% of FTMs. Thirteen percent reported being fired from a job due to an employer's reaction to their transgender status or gender expression, including 15% of MTFs and 9% of FTMs.

  • Housing: A quarter of all participants reported being homeless at some point in their lives, including a third of FTMs and 20% of MTFs. Nine percent of participants, including 14% of FTMs and 6% of MTFs, reported losing housing or a housing opportunity due to their transgender status or gender expression.

  • Source: Xavier, J. et al. (2007) "The health, health-related needs, and lifecourse experiences of transgender Virginians." (PDF file; 76 pp.) Virginia HIV Community Planning Committee and Virginia Department of Health, Richmond VA. January 2007.

• Many British Columbia transgender persons live in poverty and have difficulty paying for the daily costs of living and health care:
  • A survey of transgender people and loved ones in B.C. found that 31 percent reported income from social assistance, a non-government pension, or long- term disability funds.

  • Forty-nine percent reported needing employment services in the past, currently needing services, or anticipating a future need.

  • The needs of transgender parents in B.C. are often not recognized, as it is assumed that transgender people do not have children.

  • Fifteen percent reported needing housing services, 22 percent having needed housing services in the past, and 25 percent anticipating they would need housing assistance in the future.

  • Source: Transgender rights still unenshrined, in the "Transgender people face daily challenges" subsection; by Carlito Pablo, Straight.com | Vancouver Free Press, July 31, 2008. The source cited in this article is: Social and Medical Advocacy With Transgender People and Loved Ones: Recommendations for B.C. Clinicians (PDF file; 61 pp.), by Catherine White Holman and Joshua Mira Goldberg, January 2006.

• Ontario: "Trans people well-educated, underemployed: report. 68 percent of trans Ontarians live outside Toronto (by Andrea Zanin, xtra.ca, August 2010):"
  "We're sitting on undoubtedly the biggest resource on trans lives and trans health in Canada," says Greta Bauer, lead investigator with the Trans Pulse survey, which surveyed more than 400 trans people in Ontario. This first bulletin covers basic trans demographics in Ontario. In addition to highlighting the great diversity among trans people in terms of ethnic background, age, parenting status and other areas, it points out that an estimated 68 percent of trans people in Ontario do not live in metropolitan Toronto - "which really highlights the need for trans-appropriate services outside Toronto," says Bauer. The bulletin also provides some sobering numbers. "You can see just how underemployed trans people are, even though they're pretty well-educated across the board," Bauer points out. "Half make less than $15,000 a year and only 7 percent make more than $80,000. The numbers are pretty disturbing."

  The first set of Trans Pulse results has now been released. In total, according to Bauer, 433 people filled out the 87-page questionnaire - fewer than the team had hoped, but still a very significant number. "The 1,000 was a number we pulled out of thin air," says Bauer. "We aimed high. Part of the reason is that we wanted to make sure we had the funding if we did get that many." Bauer says recruitment moved at a slow pace due to the project's respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method. In RDS studies, the only way for a person to obtain a survey to fill out was through someone who had already done so. Also, the survey was a whopping 87 pages long. "With that in mind, we were absolutely thrilled that over 400 people were willing to fill it out!" According to Bauer, the RDS method provides much more reliable data than simpler methods such as convenience sampling; for example, they were able to weight results based on the probability that people in a given region would be recruited.

  "Trans people's health is not on everyone's radar, so we wanted the data to be as bulletproof as possible." The first set of data was released as an e-bulletin, available online at transpulse.ca. [Comment - Victoria Stuart: I believe that they are referring to this e-Bulletin, "E-bulletin #1 (English): Who are trans people in Ontario? " (a PDF file), from Trans PULSE's Publication and Downloads page.] "It's the first of a series of many e-bulletins. It was important to us that if trans people took so much of their time and shared so much of their personal info with us, that we have community accessibility." Future bulletin topics will include housing, the long-term effects of hormone therapy and the factors that affect depression for trans people. More detailed analyses will also come out in academic papers, which the team will make available in open-access journals so that people not affiliated with a university have access to them. The team also plans to use its data to produce reports for specific issues and projects, for example, to support the development of new policies surrounding the soon-to-be-updated process for accessing sex reassignment surgery (SRS) in Ontario. "What we're doing is using our data to help them strategize around what the community needs are going to be so that barriers to care for SRS are lowered," says Bauer. The Trans Pulse team was recently approved for two additional years of funding by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, lasting through 2012. "We now have the capacity to keep coming out with results. So people can expect a lot of data over a long time."

  Sidebar: Trans people in Ontario by the numbers - First data released after lengthy Trans Pulse survey (August 2010):

  • Respondents were about equally split between MTF-spectrum (47 percent) and FTM-spectrum (54 percent).

  • 50 percent make less than $15,000 a year. 21 percent make between $15,000 and $29,999 and 30 percent make $30,000 or more, with only 7 percent making $80,000 or more.

  • 32 percent live in Toronto, while 68 percent live elsewhere in the province.

  • 71 percent have attended college or university, with 43 percent holding a degree (including 7 percent with a graduate degree).

  • 35 percent identify as straight or heterosexual, with the remaining 65 percent using a range of terms including bisexual or pansexual (30 percent), queer (31 percent), gay (11 percent), lesbian (14 percent), questioning (13 percent), two-spirit (9 percent), other (8 percent), and asexual (5 percent).

  • 32 percent are in monogamous relationships, 12 percent in open or poly relationships, 44 percent are single and dating, and 12 percent are single and not dating.

  • 86 percent are white, 6 percent Aboriginal, 4 percent Middle Eastern, 4 percent other, 3 percent black and 3 percent Latin American.

  • 27 percent are parents.

• The Human Rights Campaign's How Do Transgender People Suffer from Discrimination? states "According to a 2002 poll commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 61 percent of Americans believe that the country needs laws to protect transgender people from discrimination. However, 57 percent incorrectly believe that transgender people already are legally protected from being fired because of their gender identity and expression. In fact, the vast majority of jurisdictions in America still lack legal prohibitions on gender identity discrimination in the workplace.

• A study released in January 2011 by UCLA's Williams Institute states that nearly half of Utah's lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender community are discriminated against at work. The study was based on Equality Utah's survey of 1,000 LGBT Utahns. Utah does not have a statewide law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment. This report gathers together all existing data on the prevalence of discrimination in Utah to examine how frequently lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Utahns experience employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and assess the likely impact of passing a statewide nondiscrimination law. The report begins by analyzing the data collected through a 2010 survey conducted by Equality Utah, which is the state's first survey on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment. The data show that employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is a pervasive and persistent problem in Utah, as it is in other states:
  • Percent Ever Fired, Denied a Job, or Not Promoted Because of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity:
    LGB (n = 931 persons): Yes: 43.5%; No: 45.7%; Not Sure: 10.8%
    Transgender (n = 27): Yes: 66.7%; No: 29.6%; Not Sure: 3.7%

  • Frequency of Homophobia, Transphobia, or Harassment Experienced at Work in the Last Year:
    LGB (n = 819): Daily: 6.6%; Weekly: 22.6%; Yearly: 28.2%
    Transgender (n = 20): Daily: 20.0%; Weekly: 25.0%; Yearly:15.0 %

  • Source: Employment Discrimination against LGBT Utahns (PDF file), by Clifford Rosky, Christy Mallory, Jenni Smith, & M.V. Lee Badgett (January 2011).

• A second study by UCLA's Williams Institute, also released in January 2011, studies two issues relating to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Oklahoma. First, they analyze the evidence of the existence of employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens of Oklahoma. Second, they analyze the impact of adding sexual orientation and gender identity to existing nondiscrimination laws in Oklahoma on the state's citizens, economy, and government.
  • Estimates of the LGBT Workforce in Oklahoma. Data from the 2008 American Community Survey and other recent data sources suggest that there are between 43,000 and 57,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual people working in Oklahoma. Because existing government surveys do not ask people if they identify as transgender, it is not possible to estimate the size of the transgender workforce. However, some studies suggest that 0.25 percent of the population identifies as transgender (The Human Rights Campaign, Transgender Population and the Number of Transgender Employees). Applying this figure to Oklahoma's adult population of 2,736,224, there may be over 6,800 transgender individuals living in Oklahoma. Census 2000 data suggest that the LGBT people in Oklahoma are racially and ethnically diverse, live throughout the state, and actively participate in Oklahoma's economy.
    • While transpersons are generally lumped with GLB persons under the GLBT umbrella - the report does state that: "When transgender people are surveyed separately, they report similar or higher levels of employment discrimination. In 2009, the largest national survey of transgender people to date included people from every state in the U.S. The survey revealed that 97% of the 6,450 people surveyed had experienced harassment or mistreatment at work, and 47% had been discriminated against in hiring, promotion, or job retention because of their gender identity [National Transgender Discrimination Survey: Preliminary Findings 1 (PDF file, 4 pp.), National Center for Transgender Equality & the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Nov. 2009].

      Eleven local surveys of transgender people conducted between 1996 and 2006 found that at least 20% and as many as 57% reported having experienced some form of employment discrimination [M.V. Lee Badgett et al., "Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination (PDF file; 31 pp.), Williams Institute, June 2007].

      A 2009 survey of transgender people living in California found that 67% reported experiences with workplace harassment or discrimination directly related to their gender identity ["The State of Transgender California," (PDF file; 4 pp.), Transgender Law Center, March 2009]."

    • And later, "Surveys of transgender people find that they have high rates of unemployment and very low earnings (The State of Transgender California, Transgender Law Center, March 2009)."

    • Source: Employment Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People in Oklahoma (PDF file), by Christy Mallory, Jody Herman, & M.V. Lee Badgett (Williams Institute, January 2011).

• Another William Institute report [M.V. Lee Badgett et al., "Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination (PDF file; 31 pp.), Williams Institute, June 2007], reports that:
  • Highlighted in their Executive Summary: "Transgender people report high rates of unemployment and very low earnings. While no detailed wage and income analyses of the transgender population have been conducted to date, convenience samples of the transgender population find that 6% - 60% of respondents report being unemployed, and 22 - 64% of the employed population earns less than $25,000 per year."

  • And later (p. 7): Surveys Measuring Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Transgender Status:
    Since 1996, a number of studies have found that large percentages of transgender persons report experiencing employment discrimination on the basis of their gender identity or transgender status. Details of these studies are presented in Table 3.

    Convenience Samples:

    [Comment - Victoria Stuart: see my note, below, regarding Convenience Samples]

    All of the surveys measuring employment discrimination against transgender people relied upon convenience samples. Only one was national in scope. The other studies focused on a particular geographic area or population group. Most were based on the transgender population in San Francisco. Despite these limitations, the studies consistently found that between 15% and 57% of transgender people report experiencing employment discrimination on the basis of transgender status or gender identity.

    • Nationally, 37% reported experiencing employment discrimination

    • 25% of transsexuals from Northern California had difficulties getting a job.

    • A study of 244 transsexuals in Los Angeles County found that 28% reported being fired based on their gender identity and 47% reported difficulty in finding a job.

    • In a study of 248 transgender people of color in Washington, D.C., 15% reported losing a job because of their transgender status.

    • 37-42% of gender variant persons in Illinois reported experiencing some type of employment discrimination.

    • A study of male-to-female (MTF) transgender people of color in San Francisco found that 39% reported losing a job or a career opportunity because of their gender identity.

    • 20% of transgender persons in Virginia reported employment discrimination, with 13% fired, 20% denied employment and 31% harassed at work.

    The most recent survey of transgender individuals was conducted in 2006 by the San Francisco Bay Guardian and the Transgender Law Center (San Francisco Bay Guardian and Transgender Law Center 2006). The survey was specifically focused on employment issues, using a very broad definition of being transgender, and sought to recruit a broad cross-section of San Francisco's transgender population. The study found that 57% of the transgender respondents surveyed had experienced employment discrimination on the basis of their transgender status or gender identity. More specifically, of those surveyed, 18% reported being fired, 40% being denied employment, 19% being denied a promotion, and 22% being verbally harassed. In addition, 24% reported being sexually harassed, 14% lacked access to appropriate restrooms, 23% reported persistent use of their old name and/or pronoun, and 12% faced persistent questions about surgery. In other words, this survey found ample evidence of many forms of discrimination in what should be one of the most tolerant cities for transgender people in the United States.

    Incomes of Transgender People. There have been no published studies to date like those described above analyzing the wage differences between transgender and non-transgender people. The most significant obstacle is the lack of available data. The NHSLS, the GSS, and the United States Census do not ask questions about gender identity, so researchers cannot identify transgender people. However, a number of convenience samples of transgender people, including some of those summarized in Table 3 above, indicate that large percentages of the transgender population are unemployed and have incomes far below the national average. Although these surveys share the limitations described above - overrepresentation of clients of AIDS service organizations, other social service organizations, people of color, and commercial sex workers - the studies are consistent in their findings. In all, between 6% and 60% of transgender people report being unemployed, and 22% to 64% report incomes of less than $25,000 per year (see Table 6).

  • Convenience Samples:
    A convenience sample is a sample where the patients are selected, in part or in whole, at the convenience of the researcher. The researcher makes no attempt, or only a limited attempt, to insure that this sample is an accurate representation of some larger group or population. The classic example of a convenience sample is standing at a shopping mall and selecting shoppers as they walk by to fill out a survey. In contrast, a random sample is one where the researcher insures (usually through the use of random numbers applied to a list of the entire population) that each member of that population has an equal probability of being selected. Random samples are an important foundation of Statistics. Almost all of the mathematical theory upon which Statistics are based rely on assumptions which are consistent with a random sample. This theory is inconsistent with data collected from a convenience sample.

    In general, the Statistics community frowns on convenience samples. You will often have great difficulty in generalizing the results of a convenience sample to any population that has practical relevance. Still, convenience samples can provide you with useful information, especially in a pilot study. To interpret the findings from a convenience sample properly, you have to characterize (usually in a qualitative sense) how your sample would differ from an ideal sample that was randomly selected. In particular, pay attention to who might be left out of your convenience sample or who might be underrepresented in your sample.

    Also note whether the people who were left out might behave differently than the people in your convenience sample. An interview on the street corner, for example, would exclude non-ambulatory patients. If your outcome measures are not strongly related to this factor, you might be okay. An assessment of eye color is probably safe in this setting. But a street corner interview would be a disaster if you were measuring something like the degree of disability. You also have to be careful to qualify your findings appropriately. Findings from a convenience sample would be considered less definitive and would usually require replication in a more controlled setting. You can also qualify your results by extrapolating them only to a much more targeted and narrowly defined population.

• Yet another Williams Institute review of six studies conducted in cities and regions on both coasts and the Midwest, showed the following ranges for experiences of discrimination based on gender identity:
  Employment:
  • 13 - 56% of transgender people had been fired
  • 13 - 47% had been denied employment
  • 22 - 31% had been harassed, either verbally or physically, in the workplace

  Housing:
  • A large number, possibly a majority, of transwomen are likely to have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.

  Source: The Williams Institute; cited in the Cold Showers and Statistics blog entry, above. Here are the search results for "transgender" at The Williams Institute, that include additional statistics, for various states.

• Unemployment and Employment Discrimination [Measure: Average % (and range) of respondents]:
  • Face job discrimination: 40% (range: 16 - 57%)
  • Denied job: 30% (20 - 40%)
  • Unfairly fired: 15% (13 - 18%)
  • Unemployed: 40% (6 - 72%)

  • Source: Advancing Transgender Equality: A Guide for LGBT Organizations and Funders (from the movement advancement project, January 2009; PDF file). Appendix 2 (Quantitative Studies Cited in the Report) lists sources of studies describing health studies, income and employment studies, violence and harassment studies, sex reassignment surgery studies, and studies on other topics.

• Of some interest, the Human Rights Campaign maintains this web page, Transgender Population and the Number of Transgender Employees.

• United Kingdom report (non-referenced statistics:]
  • In America, the transgender unemployment rate is as high as 70%.

  • According to Count On Me Too, a LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) survey carried out in Brighton and Hove, transgender people are significantly more likely to have low-income jobs.

  • Nearly 49% felt frequently discriminated against in recruitment, despite it being unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of gender reassignment.

  • Source: Transphobia Statistics, West Sussex Grid for Learning, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex, U.K.

• A study in the San Francisco Bay Area conducted in 2006 of 194 transgender individuals found:
  • a 35% unemployment rate, with 59% earning less than $15,300 annually

  • Source: Cold Showers and Statistics, posted July 07, 2007 by Richard M. Juang at the Trans Group Blog. Note also the Comments that accompany this post.

• The Trans PULSE Survey: From April 2009 to the end of survey collection in May 2010, Trans PULSE collected information from 433 trans people across Ontario. We are now analysing the data from the 80-page survey and, with this e-bulletin, are returning the results back to our communities. We would like to thank all those that took the time to complete the survey and pass it on to others. The information presented in these e-bulletins is only a small fraction of the results we've gathered over the year. The following is the second of a series of e-bulletins that Trans PULSE will release over the course of the next several months and it is our hope that this will go a long way to enact change for trans people. All e-bulletins can be downloaded from the Publications & Downloads page.

• Nowhere Near Enough: A Needs Assessment of Health and Safety Services for Transgender and Two Spirit People in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. Final Report [Microsoft Word file; click here for the Summary description], October 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Submitted by Jennifer Davis, Project Coordinator, for the Project Team: Jake Barnes et al. Written by Catherine Taylor, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigator, University of Winnipeg. Funded by the Crime Prevention Branch Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada.

  From the 'Executive Summary:'

  "The assessment shows that our participants are at high risk for serious threats to health, quite apart from the need for access to sex reassignment procedures. The levels of known STI and HIV infections are much higher among our participants than in the general population: 21% known STI and 8% known HIV, with another 7% unsure of their HIV status. Deep and often suicidal levels of depression are much more common among the participants than among the general population, with 28% of our participants having attempted suicide at least once. Participants expressed deep frustration and anxiety about inability to access transition services and other vital mental and physical health services as life goes by. In the absence of access to hormone replacement therapy, some participants resort to procuring hormones over the internet and monitoring their own treatment. Many participants report encountering lack of knowledge and insensitivity in mainstream service providers, and difficulty getting access to the limited number of trans-competent service providers.

  Another strong finding in our needs assessment is our participants live in poverty or near-poverty, often unemployed, underemployed, or unhappily employed, unable to present their real sex/gender identity in the workplace. Many participants gave up their jobs to transition, and others are restricted in their employment opportunities by their obvious gender variance. While professional workplaces and large corporations are sometimes accommodating, most smaller workplaces and blue-collar workplaces such as factories have not even begun to recognize the issue of transgender employee rights. Most participants described their school years as having been lonely, confused, and depressed, with more obviously gender-variant participants experiencing homophobic bullying.

  The results of this assessment are consistent with those of other needs assessments elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. (Bockting & Avery, 2005; GLBT Wellness Project, 2000; Goldberg, 2003; Kenagy, 2005; Kenagy & Bostwick, 2005; Lombardi, 2001; Moran, 2004; Morrison & L'Heareux, 2001; Walters, 2001; Ware, 2004). Trans and transition-related health care is chronically under-resourced even in large cities that have gender clinics because they tend to have correspondingly larger trans populations (including people who have left smaller communities) who need services. Employment, housing and job training are needed. Levels of depression and suicidal ideation are high."

• LGBTQQ youth statistics, from Youth Pride, Inc., Providence, RI. Largely Trans-exclusive (GLB only) statistics:
  Suicide:
  • 36.5 % of GLB youth grades 9-12 have attempted suicide. 20.5% of those attempts resulting in medical care. [Robin, L. et al. (2002) "Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school students." Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 156: 349-55.]

  • Gay and lesbian youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual young people. (Rotheram-Borus, M. et al. (1994) "Suicidal behavior and gay-related stress among gay and bisexual male adolescents." Journal of Adolescent Research, 9: 498-508.]

  • As many as 1 in 3 gay and lesbian youth have attempted suicide. [Remafedi, G. et al. (1991) "Risk factors for attempted suicide in gay and bisexual youth." Pediatrics 87: 869-875.)

  • In a 1998 health survey conducted by Youth Pride, Inc. aimed at LGBTQQ youth, 58% of respondents reported that they had felt suicidal as teenagers.

  • According to a 1999 study reported using data collected among Massachusetts high school students in 1995, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning high school students were more than three (3.41) times more likely to report having attempted suicide than their straight peers. [Garofalo, R. et al. (1999) "Sexual orientation and risk of suicide attempts among a representative sample of youth." Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 153: 487-493.]

  • A 2002 survey found that 21% of men who have sex with men had made plans to attempt suicide; 12% reported actually having made the attempt, and of those, nearly half had made multiple attempts. Most who attempted suicide had made their first attempt before age 25. [Paul, J. et al. (2002) "Suicide attempts among gay and bisexual men: Lifetime prevalence and antecedents." American Journal of Public Health 92: 1338-1345.]

  Also included:

  GLBT Statistics [with no differentiation of Transgender from GLBT; a small Transgender-specific statistics section is included, and is summarized in the appropriate sections, elsewhere (above) in this file] relating to:

  Verbal Harassment:

  • 84% of LGBT students report being verbally harassed (name calling, threats, etc.) because of their sexual orientation.

  • 91.5% of LGBT students report hearing homophobic remarks, such as "faggot," "dyke" or the expression "that's so gay" frequently or often.

  • 44.7% of LGBT youth of color report being verbally harassed because of both their sexual orientation and race/ethnicity.

  • Students who experience frequent verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation are less likely than other students to plan to attend college. 13.4% of LGBT students who report verbal harassment do not intend to go to college, twice the figure of those LGBT students who report only rare or less frequent verbal harassment (6.7%).

  • 82.9% of LGBT students report that faculty or staff never intervened or intervened only some of the time when present and homophobic remarks were made. [All from GLSEN (2003) The 2003 national school climate survey: The school related experiences of our nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth."]

  • A 2006 report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force describes the 'Hell Houses' created by right-wing religious groups as an alternative to traditional haunted houses, with the intention of scaring children into a sin-free life. Homosexuality is featured as a damnable sin in these displays, with depictions of the 'sinner' burning in Hell, a lesbian teenager committing suicide, and a male couple at their marriage being forced to swear never to believe that they're 'normal.' It is estimated that 1.6 million people, some as young as 10 years old, visited 'Hell Houses' in 2006. [Kennedy, S. and Cianciotto, J. (2006). "Homophobia at 'Hell House:' Literally demonizing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth" (PDF file; 9 pp.). New York: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, October 2006.]

  • In a 2005 GLSEN survey of LGBT youth, 90% reported experiencing verbal or physical harassment or verbal assault in the past year. [GLSEN (2005) "From teasing to torment: School climate in America - a survey of students and teachers." Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.]

  • 97% of high school students report hearing homophobic remarks regularly from peers. [Massachusetts Governor's Commission On Gay and Lesbian Youth (1993) "Making Schools Safe For Gay and Lesbian Youth: Breaking the Silence in Schools and Families." (PDF file; 68 pp.)]

  • 53% of students report hearing homophobic comments made by school staff. [Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force (1992) "Discrimination and violence towards lesbian women and gay men in the Philadelphia and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania." Comment - Victoria Stuart: No longer found on the Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force website?]

  Isolation:
  • 80% of gay and bisexual youth report severe problems with cognitive, social, or emotional isolation. [Hetrick-Martin Institute (1992). Fact file: lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. New York.]

  • 50% of lesbian and gay youth report parental rejection because of their sexual orientation. [Remafedi, G. (1987) "Male homosexuality: The adolescent's perspective." Pediatrics 79: 326-330.]

  • 4 out of 5 students in school don't know 1 supportive adult in their school environment. [Massachusetts High School Students and Sexual Orientation Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2001)

  • A 2002 study of recent participants in an 'ex-gay' conversion program reported that, out of 202 participants, only 8 reported being completely 'cured.' Out of those 8, seven were employed by the program as counselors, four of whom were paid. 176 of the participants were classified as 'failures,' and of these, 155 reported significant long-term harm, including depression and suicidal thoughts, complete loss of religious faith, and deteriorating relationships with family and friends. 18 of the participants were forced to undergo shock therapy and induced vomiting. [Shidlo, A. and Schroeder, M. (2002) "Changing sexual orientation: A consumer's report." Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 33: 249-259.]

  Depression:
  • In a study of depression and gay youth, researchers found depression strikes gay youth four to five times more severely than their non-gay peers. [Hammelman, T.L. (1993) "Gay and lesbian youth: Contributing factors to serious attempts or considerations of suicide." Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy 2: 77-89.]

  • Eighty-three percent of respondents in YPI's [Youth Pride, Inc.] 1998 health survey considered themselves depressed.

  Violence:
  • 64.3% of LGBT students report feeling unsafe at their school because of their sexual orientation. [GLSEN (2003) The 2003 national school climate survey: The school related experiences of our nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth"]

  • In one study, 41% of self-identified gay and lesbian young people reported violence at the hands of families, peers, or strangers. [Hunter, J. (1990) "Violence against lesbian and gay male youths." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 5: 295-300.]

  • Sexual minority students were more than twice as likely to report being in a physical fight at school in the prior year (31.5% of sexual minority students vs. 12.9% of others).

  • Sexual minority students more often reported that they had missed school in the past month because they felt unsafe (19.1% of sexual minority students vs. 5.6% of others). [The above two items are from the Massachusetts Department of Education (1999) The 1999 Massachusetts youth risk behavior survey (MYRBS). Massachusetts department of education HIV/AIDS program and the disease control and prevention (CDC)].

  • A 2002 study found that bisexual students were three to six times more likely than their straight classmates to be threatened or injured with a weapon at school. [Robin, L. et al. (2002) "Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school students". Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 156: 349-355.]

  • FBI data shows that in 2005, 13.8% of hate crimes in the U.S.A., a total of 1,213 attacks, were motivated by bias against the victim's sexual orientation. 61.3% of those were committed against men who were or were perceived to be gay, while 1.9% of victims were or were perceived to be straight. [Robin, L. et al. (2002) "Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school students". Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 156: 349-355.]

  • A 2001 study found that LGBQ teenagers are more likely to experience, witness, and/or perpetrate violence than their straight peers. [Russell, S.T., et al. (2001) "Same-sex romantic attraction and experiences of violence in adolescence." Adolescent Journal of Public Health 91: 903-906.]

  • A 2002 study found that LGB students who are victims of violence at school have elevated risk of suicidal and other health-risk behavior. [Bontempo, D. and D'Augelli, A. (2002) "Effects of at-school victimization and sexual orientation on lesbian, gay, or bisexual youths' health risk behavior." Journal of Adolescent Health 30: 364-374.]

  Homelessness:
  • According to a 2006 report, between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth in the US identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. 26% of LGBT youth who come out to their parents are told to leave home. Many also report experiencing abuse both from family members and in shelters. [Ray, N. (2006).\ "Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: An epidemic of homelessness" (PDF file; 199 pp.), New York: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute and the National Coalition for the Homeless.]

  • 65% of 400 homeless LGBTQ youth report having been in a child welfare placement at some point in the past. [Berberet, H.M. (2006) "Putting the pieces together for queer youth: A model of integrated assessment of need and program planning." Child Welfare 85: 361-384.]

  • 26% of gay youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts with their families over their sexual identities. [Remafedi, G. (1987)" Homosexuality: the adolescent's perspective." Pediatrics, 79: 326-330.]

  • Up to half of the gay or bisexual men forced from their homes engage in prostitution to support themselves, greatly increasing their risk for HIV infection. [Savin-Williams, R.C. (1988) "Theoretical perspectives for accounting for adolescent homosexuality." Journal of Adolescent Health Care 9: 95-104.]

  • Half of a sampling of gay and lesbian young people in out-of-home care reported having been homeless at some point in the past. [Mallon, Gerald, P. (1998) "We don't exactly get the welcome wagon: The experiences of gay and lesbian adolescents in the child welfare systems." Columbia University Press.]

  Substance Abuse:
  • 68% of adolescent gay males use alcohol and 44% use other drugs. 83% of lesbians use alcohol and 56% use other drugs. [Hunter, J., et al. (1992) Unpublished research by the Columbia University HIV center for clinical and behavioral studies.]

  • According to a 2005 report, alcohol dependence is greater among LGBTQ people, especially for women. The report emphasizes the need for including sexual orientation as a subgroup when monitoring alcohol abuse in population studies. [Drabble, L. et al. (2005) "Reports of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among homosexual, bisexual and heterosexual respondents: Results from the 2000 National Alcohol Survey." Journal of Studies on Alcohol 66: 111-120.]

  • A 2004 study found that "mostly heterosexual" adolescents and lesbian and bisexual girls are more likely to smoke than their heterosexual counterparts. [Austin, S.B., et al. (2004) "Sexual orientation and tobacco use in a cohort study of US adolescent girls and boys." Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 158: 317-322.]

  • A 2002 study found that LGB students who are victims of violence at school have elevated risk of substance abuse. [Bontempo, D. and D'Augelli, A. (2002) "Effects of at-school victimization and sexual orientation on lesbian, gay, or bisexual youths' health risk behavior." Journal of Adolescent Health 30: 364-374.]

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More about Transgender Murder Statistics

...

"I can't find any "recent study" that says that "1 in 12 transgender persons is murdered." I can find a transgender activist who has made an honest effort to collect transgender murder statistics, but even she admits that data are hard to come by because there is really no way to know how many transgender persons there are or to identify all murder victims who are transgender. A Florida woman named LeAnna Bradley and an organization called Stop Hate Now cite 321 such murders worldwide between 1970 and 2004 (34 years).

On the other hand, someone has claimed that Kay Brown, instructor for "20th Century Transgender History and Experience" at the Harvey Milk Institute in San Francisco, Washington Blade, Dec. 10, 1999, is the source of the "1 in 12" statistic. But if you Google the Brown article, you can't find any such statistic in the article (at least I couldn't).

Let's think about this a minute. What is the value of inventing or inflating statistics about a very highly-emotionally-charged issue? Frankly, it fans the flames of irrationality. No one benefits from this."

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Others have questioned the "1 in 12" statistic, for example, this entry by Daran on the Feminist Critics blog:

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Are Transgender People Over a Thousand Times More Likely to be Murdered than Cisgender?

Aug 24th, 2008 by Daran

Lisa from Questioning Transphobia: "... trans people cannot even talk about the fact that we have a 1 in 12 chance of being murdered, at least in America - the victims predominantly women of color. The average person has a 1 in 18,000 chance of being murdered."

Lisa does not give any source for the proposition that the victims are "predominantly women of color" [footnote 1]. The link she does provides is to the Human Rights Campaign: "... one expert estimates that transgender individuals living in America today have a one in 12 chance of being murdered [ref. 1] In contrast, the average person has about a one in 18,000 chance of being murdered. [ref. 2]. ..."

[Comment: Victoria Stuart: I can personally confirm reading that quotation at that time - 2008 or 2009 - on the HRC website. It has since been deleted, and replaced with the HRC estimates of violent crime against transpersons, described below.]

Ref. 1: Kay Brown, instructor for "20th Century Transgender History and Experience" at the Harvey Milk Institute in San Francisco, Washington Blade, Dec. 10, 1999.

Ref. 2: Based on the FBI's "Uniform Crimes Reports, Crime in the United States 2000," showing the murder rate of 5.5 people per 100,000.

Thus we can see in Lisa's statement the familiar pattern within activist writing of presenting speculative estimates as though they were established facts. But is this comparison even valid?

A few second's Googling turns up a murder rate of 5.7 per hundred thousand for the general population for 2006 [footnote 2]. This is an incidence figure. It's not clear on its face, whether Kay Brown's estimate refers to incidence or lifetime risk. If it is also an incidence figure, then it is truly extraordinary. It would mean that the murder rate for transgender people is many, many times that of the highest risk demographic in Iraq, young adult men, and it would mean that essentially every transgender person in the US will end their lives as a murder victim. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. I've seen none for such a figure.

More likely, Brown's estimate is for lifetime risk: One in twelve transgender people end their lives as a murder victim. That's still a horrendous figure, but, as I will go on to argue, it's not a particularly extraordinary claim. It does, however, mean that comparing it with the incidence for the general population is bogus [footnote 3].

The overall death rate for 2007 is 8.26 per thousand. Comparing this with the 5.7 per hundred thousand murder rate [footnote 4] gives us about one murder in every 145 deaths. This isn't the lifetime risk, as it uses only one year's figures, but it will do as a proxy.

Thus a transgendered person's lifetime risk of being murdered is estimated to be a little more than ten times that of the general population - horrendous, as I said, but not extraordinary.

Footnotes:

1. It's a plausible claim. POC [people of color] suffer a higher murder rate than whites, men higher than women, and black men in particular suffer a much higher rate than anyone else. Also men are generally held to higher standards of gender-conformance than women. All these factors would lead to trans women of colour, who are likely to be viewed as men by their attackers, to be particularly targeted.

2. Also confirmed is the figure of 5.5 for 2000, but I use the 2006 figure because the year is closer to the one for which I have an overall death rate. See footnote 4 below.

3. The confusion between prevalence and incidence is a regrettably common error.

4. Better would be to use source figures from the same year, but they don't change much from year to year, and their precise values aren't important to this discussion. So I'm not motivated to seek them out.

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"How Do Transgender People Suffer from Discrimination?

...

"Hate violence. Transgender people are often targeted for hate violence based on their non-conformity with gender norms and/or their perceived sexual orientation. Hate crimes against transgender people tend to be particularly violent. Our best estimates indicate that one out of every 1,000 homicides in the U.S. is an anti-transgender hate crime. This estimation is based on data collected by the national organizers of the Transgender Day of Remembrance and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Organizers of the Transgender Day of Remembrance track the number of transgender people killed each year in hate-based attacks using media articles, community reports and other publicly available data.

By this count, they estimate that at least 15 transgender people are killed each year in hate-based attacks, although we believe the number to be higher based on transgender people's common fear of going to the police and widespread misreporting. The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates approximately 14,000 homicides in the country each year.

Based on these figures, we can estimate that approximately one out of every 1000 homicides in the U.S. is an anti-transgender hate-based crime [ref. 1]. In 2002, community activists commemorated the lives of 27 murdered transgender people in that year [ref 2]. However, many crimes against transgender people are not reported because of widespread doubts that state and local authorities will treat them with respect or investigate the crimes."

...

References cited:

1. Based on the FBI's "Uniform Crimes Reports, Crime in the United States 2008."

2. Daily Lobo, University of New Mexico, Nov. 21, 2002.

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