Now, the title of this post might seem odd at first, but it boils down to this, even though the T in LGBTQ stands for Transgender and gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same thing, they are still members of our community and we need to fight for them. Currently, the LGBTQ community is fighting for certain equalities, rights, and protections for transgender individuals. These include protections to use the bathroom that matches with their gender identity,  protections for transgender youths in schools, allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military and other small “victories.”

However, more serious issues face members of the transgender community. In 32 states there are no non-discrimination laws for gender identity for housing and employment discrimination (GLADD). While other members of the LGBTQ community also face these discriminations, transgender individuals face them at higher rates. (Harris and Anderson).

Another issue facing transgender individuals is that many states require individuals to jump through hoops and a process that takes months to change your sex on your license and other official documents, but this is only if the state allows it in the first place. Most states do not allow individuals to change their sex on their license or other documents. This makes doing daily task difficult and “a constant reminder that the government doesn’t recognize your gender” (American Civil Liberties Union).

Lastly, the violence seen by members of the Transgender community is unparallel to others. Even though violence against the LGBTQ community is at high rates, especially among LGBTQ individuals of color, violence against transgender individuals, especially transgender women of color, see high rates. (Harris and Anderson). Transgender individuals face high rates of hate crimes and homicides.

This blog post does not even start to go into health issues and healthcare issues that are faced by Transgender individuals, which can be a blog post of its own. Transgender individuals face an impossible number of issues, but the mainstream LGBTQ community choices to ignore most of those issues instead focuses on what they think is right/is the flashiest issues.

 

Work Cited:

GLADD, et al. “Understanding Issues Facing Transgender Americans.” Understanding Issues Facing Transgender Americans, 2015.

Harris, Angelique and Katherine Anderson. 2016. Issues in LGBT Communities in the United States: Post Marriage. Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University’s Center for Gender and Sexualities Studies.

“Transgender People and ID.” American Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union, 2018, www.aclu.org/issues/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/transgender-people-and-id.