November is Transgender Awareness Month and National Transgender Awareness Week is the second week in the month. This is an opportunity to support, celebrate and advocate for the transgender and gender diverse people in our lives and to stand up for the social, economic and political rights of all transgender and gender diverse individuals. On November 20, specifically, we take time to mourn and remember those who have been lost to transphobic violence.
If you haven’t focused on this awareness month in the past, here are a few reasons shared by Fenway Health that you should.
- 41% of trans individuals attempted suicide
- 32% of transgender individuals use drugs and alcohol
- 65% of transgender individuals reported discrimination related to public settings
- 50% of transgender people have to teach their own doctors about transgender issues
- In 2019, 25 US transgender and gender non-conforming individuals were killed; 95% were black women
- Transgender people are imprisoned at twice the national rate, and for black transgender women, the rate is 10 times higher
- 1 in 5 transgender people failed to get timely health care for fear of discrimination
- Bullying of trans youth leads to suicidal ideation and actions
Create awareness with personal support, advocacy and cultural change. Together, we can make a difference.