'International Transgender Day of Visibility' offers a chance to support freedom of expression, association

'International Transgender Day of Visibility' offers a chance to support freedom of expression, association

By Aime Lykins, PSNS & IMF Public Affairs

Since 2010, International Transgender Day of Visibility has been celebrated annually March 31. The observance day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about transgender individuals and their contributions to society, while also drawing attention to the discrimination and violence many trans individuals face.

International Transgender Day of Visibility was founded by trans advocate, and licensed psychotherapist specializing in transgender issues, Rachel Crandall. She was motivated to found the day of visibility in response to the numerous news and personal stories about transgender individuals being victims of targeted attacks. She hoped to create a day where people could focus on celebrating the lives of transgender people, empowering them to live openly with freedom of expression and association, while still acknowledging that due to discrimination, not every trans person wants to be visible.

Researchers from the National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information define transgender individuals as those who report discomfort with their birth sex and a strong identification with the opposite sex. Transgender women are assigned male at birth but identify as female; transgender men are assigned female at birth but identify as male. Being transgender has little to do with sexual identity but rather personal identity. Current, ongoing research is exploring structural differences in the brain that may influence gender expression.

Throughout the last two decades, the U.S. has seen an increase in knowledge about the demographics of LGBTQ+ people. This consistent flow of data is due in large part to the increase in the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data in population surveys, such as those coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The University of California, Los Angeles' Williams Institute of Law published a June 2022 study on how many adults and youth identify as transgender in the U.S. The study used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and advanced statistical modeling to estimate the population of adults and youth who identify as transgender nationally.

Key data points of the study include the following findings:

More than 1.6 million adults (ages 18 and older) and youth (ages 13 to 17) identify as transgender in the U.S.

Of the 1.3 million adults (ages 18 and older) who identify as transgender, 38.5% are transgender women, 35.9% are transgender men, and 25.6% reported they are gender nonconforming.

Research shows transgender individuals are younger on average than the U.S. population. The study also found that youth (ages 13 to 17) are significantly more likely to identify as transgender (1.4%) than adults ages 65 or older (0.3%).

The racial and ethnic distribution of youth and adults who identify as transgender appears generally similar to the U.S. population, though estimates mirror prior research that found transgender youth and adults are more likely to report being Latinx and less likely to report being White compared to the U.S. population.

While there has been a lot of media coverage related to transgender individuals, they are a very small segment of the U.S. population. The American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 413 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the U.S.

Encouragingly, many states work every year to pass laws to protect LGBTQ+ people. However, some state legislatures are advancing bills that target transgender people and limit local protections.

Even if you are not a part of the trans community, a great way to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility is being an ally.

There is no one way to be a "perfect" ally. The transgender community is diverse and complex, coming from every region of the world, from every racial and ethnic background, and from every faith community. This means that different members of the transgender community have different needs and priorities. Similarly, there is no one right way to handle every situation, or interact with every trans person. Be respectful, do your best and keep trying.

You don't have to understand someone's identity to respect it. Some people haven't heard a lot about transgender identity, or have trouble understanding what it means to be trans, and that's okay. But all individuals, even those whose identities you don't fully understand, deserve respect.

Someone's gender may not be immediately apparent by the way they look or dress. There is no "one right way" to be transgender. Some transgender individuals choose to medically transition, legally change their names or ID documents, or change their personal appearance. Some do not. Likewise, some transgender people may want to do many of those things but are unable to because they cannot afford it or for safety reasons. A transgender individual's identity does not depend on what things they have or haven't done to transition, and no two transgender people's journeys are exactly alike.

This year for Transgender Day of Visibility, continue learning about transgender issues and rights. One of the simplest ways to be a strong ally is to take your education into your own hands and stand up for equality for all.