Largest survey reveals insights at a time when many are under attack

Results from the largest survey of transgender people in the United States were released Wednesday, revealing key insights into their lives and experiences at a time when trans rights have increasingly come under attack.

The 2022 US Transgender Survey Early Insights report, conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, polled an “unprecedented” 92,329 binary and nonbinary transgender people ages 16 and older living in the US, its territories or military bases, according to the report.

Respondents were surveyed on issues including their family life, health care, employment, education, housing and public accommodation. While many transgender people surveyed who have transitioned said they were satisfied with their lives, the report also noted transgender people continue to face disparities and discrimination across the country.

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of NCTE, said there should be state and federal laws to ensure that everyone — including transgender people — is treated fairly.

“No one should ever face discrimination in employment, housing, health care, education, and other areas of life just because of who they are,” Heng-Lehtinen said in a statement. “Transgender people are here to stay, and we are proud of who we are.”

Life after transitioning

The survey found the majority of people who transitioned genders said they were satisfied with their lives.

Ninety-four percent of respondents who lived at least some of the time in a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth reported being “a lot more satisfied” or “a little more satisfied” with their life, with 79% expressing the highest level of satisfaction.

Only three percent of people surveyed indicated they were “a little less satisfied” (1%) or “a lot less satisfied” (2%), the report found.

What's more, “nearly all” respondents who said they were receiving hormone treatment at the time of the survey — 98% — said receiving hormones for their gender identity/transition increased satisfaction with their life.

Eighty-four percent of respondents said they were “a lot more satisfied” while receiving hormone treatment and 14% of respondents said they were “a little more satisfied.” Less than 1% of people surveyed said receiving the hormones made them less satisfied with their lives.

Discrimination

The report's findings come as multiple states have passed laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care. Forty percent of people surveyed said they considered moving because they experienced discrimination or unequal treatment where they were living, and 10% said they had already moved because of discrimination.

The report also revealed findings that suggest the ongoing culture war over transgender rights has impacted students.

Nearly 60% of respondents ages 16 to 17 who are out or perceived as transgender in grades K-12 said they experienced mistreatment or a negative experience, including”verbal harassment, physical attacks, online bullying, being denied the ability to dress according to their gender identity/expression, teachers or staff refusing to use chosen name or pronouns, or being denied the use of restrooms or locker rooms matching their gender identity.”

A majority of respondents of all ages, 62%, also said they were “very uncomfortable” or “somewhat uncomfortable” asking police for help when they needed it.

Health and safety

When asked about their health care experiences, nearly half of respondents, 48%, who had seen a provider in the past 12 months said they had at least one negative experience because they were transgender, according to the report.

Some of those experiences reported included, “being refused health care, being misgendered, having a provider use harsh or abusive language when treating them, or having a provider be physically rough or abusive when treating them.”

Nearly a quarter of respondents said they avoided seeing a doctor in the previous year when they needed to out of fear of mistreatment, while 28% said they did not go to the doctor during that timeframe because of cost.