A Survey Of Transgender Life In America
March 24, 2023 1:42 PM Subscribe
While the New York Times serves to platform transphobia, the Washington Post alongside health non-profit KFF have compiled an in depth survey of transgender people in the US. (Ungated version.)
As part of this study, the WaPo has released articles on the key takeaways from the study (ungated), how transition has benefitted most of those surveyed (ungated), and how medical care is still traumatizing for many trans individuals.
As part of this study, the WaPo has released articles on the key takeaways from the study (ungated), how transition has benefitted most of those surveyed (ungated), and how medical care is still traumatizing for many trans individuals.
Thanks for posting this; I guess I'm not the only one reading the Lawyers, Guns & Money blog (if you're not, and you're progressive, you are definitely missing something).
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 2:52 PM on March 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 2:52 PM on March 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Thank you for this, NoxAeternum.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 5:26 PM on March 24, 2023
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 5:26 PM on March 24, 2023
The WaPo ran two anti-trans op-eds last year that caused me to unsubscribe.
They changed the editor and haven't repeated that mistake since. This tranche of articles was enough for me to resubscribe.
As my partner said, "it's very hard to find news coverage about trans people, rather than about how cis people feel about trans people".
Well done.
posted by constraint at 6:36 PM on March 24, 2023 [60 favorites]
They changed the editor and haven't repeated that mistake since. This tranche of articles was enough for me to resubscribe.
As my partner said, "it's very hard to find news coverage about trans people, rather than about how cis people feel about trans people".
Well done.
posted by constraint at 6:36 PM on March 24, 2023 [60 favorites]
Well said, constraint's partner. The comments to those articles are clearly about cis people continuing to debate and opinions on trans existence.
posted by kokaku at 6:48 PM on March 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 6:48 PM on March 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Thank you for posting this. The articles in the WaPo are striking in comparison to the NYTimes in that they are actually reporting research, studies, and facts. Kudos to them for doing...reporting.
posted by Toddles at 7:38 PM on March 24, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by Toddles at 7:38 PM on March 24, 2023 [9 favorites]
Thank you for sharing this! I had read one of the articles this morning, and just went through the rest.
I liked that several of the people quoted in the articles got a separate profile to talk about their life overall, not just the pulled quotes about medical treatment or experiences of harassment, etc.
posted by mersen at 8:43 PM on March 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
I liked that several of the people quoted in the articles got a separate profile to talk about their life overall, not just the pulled quotes about medical treatment or experiences of harassment, etc.
posted by mersen at 8:43 PM on March 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Thank you for posting. Given how much attention (most of it bad, but also some of it good) that trans women generally get, it may have been enlightening to some to see that binary trans women are not the majority of trans people.
What I appreciated the most, though, was not the numbers but instead the case studies. Those are important to understand the wide diversity of identities in the trans population.
Shortly before I transitioned, I found a record of a bunch of case studies of trans women - and that helped me to figure myself out and move forward with my life. It’s been my experience that people meeting and reading about trans people helps them figure out their own gender identity.
I wish that the survey weren’t taking place against the backdrop of the recent World Athletics decision. Learning that a major sports organization doesn’t consider me fully a woman is something I’m struggling with. Discrimination hurts not just those it directly affects, but everyone else in a marginalized population, just as thoughtful surveys and case studies help all of us feel seen and respected.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 12:18 PM on March 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
What I appreciated the most, though, was not the numbers but instead the case studies. Those are important to understand the wide diversity of identities in the trans population.
Shortly before I transitioned, I found a record of a bunch of case studies of trans women - and that helped me to figure myself out and move forward with my life. It’s been my experience that people meeting and reading about trans people helps them figure out their own gender identity.
I wish that the survey weren’t taking place against the backdrop of the recent World Athletics decision. Learning that a major sports organization doesn’t consider me fully a woman is something I’m struggling with. Discrimination hurts not just those it directly affects, but everyone else in a marginalized population, just as thoughtful surveys and case studies help all of us feel seen and respected.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 12:18 PM on March 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
WaPo has now moved all 3 articles outside its paywall, according to a tweet from Casey Parks, one of the reporters involved.
These pieces are so, so good.
posted by mediareport at 2:11 PM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
These pieces are so, so good.
posted by mediareport at 2:11 PM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
Getting picky here, but one of the questions is if people "used a different name than the one on [their] birth certificate." They could have phrased that better, since some people get new birth certificates (e.g. after adoption or transitioning, or if the hospital fucked up the application for your first one but then the replacement had a different typo).
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:32 PM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:32 PM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
since some people get new birth certificates
Good point. There are a lot of assumptions people bring to documenting trans issues. I got mine corrected - and it’s from Kansas, of all places. I remember hearing that the rules had gotten changed to allow it, and called the documents office there a couple of weeks later. The person who answered the phone clearly hadn’t handled the issue much. I’m really glad I got it done - but Kansas does put in a mark to indicate the certificate has been amended. My mom, at least, has told me she’ll explain they got her middle name wrong if it ever comes up. She’s great. I do worry that Kansas might retroactively change them back someday :(
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 4:31 PM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Good point. There are a lot of assumptions people bring to documenting trans issues. I got mine corrected - and it’s from Kansas, of all places. I remember hearing that the rules had gotten changed to allow it, and called the documents office there a couple of weeks later. The person who answered the phone clearly hadn’t handled the issue much. I’m really glad I got it done - but Kansas does put in a mark to indicate the certificate has been amended. My mom, at least, has told me she’ll explain they got her middle name wrong if it ever comes up. She’s great. I do worry that Kansas might retroactively change them back someday :(
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 4:31 PM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
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