Gender violence: transgender experiences with violence and discrimination

J Homosex. 2001;42(1):89-101. doi: 10.1300/j082v42n01_05.

Abstract

There is a pervasive pattern of discrimination and prejudice against transgendered people within society. Both economic discrimination and experiencing violence could be the result of a larger social climate that severely sanctions people for not conforming to society's norms concerning gender; as such, both would be strongly associated with each other. Questionnaires were distributed to people either through events or through volunteers, and made available upon the World Wide Web. A sample of 402 cases was collected over the span of 12 months (April 1996-April 1997). We found that over half the people within this sample experienced some form of harassment or violence within their lifetime, with a quarter experiencing a violent incident. Further investigation found that experiencing economic discrimination because one is transgendered had the strongest association with experiencing a transgender related violent incident. Economic discrimination was related to transgendered people's experience with violence. Therefore, both hate crimes legislation and employment protections are needed for transgendered individuals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Gender Identity*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prejudice*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Transsexualism / epidemiology
  • Transsexualism / psychology*
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Violence / psychology*
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data