Since 2020, political attacks on transgender people have rapidly escalated. Each year brings new records in anti-transgender legislation, and it seems each day brings new and previously unthinkable extremes—like Kansas’ recent revoking of transgender people’s driver’s licenses, or Idaho’s recent law criminalizing bathroom use in private businesses.
These trends, headlines, and the political commentary around these developments can make it seem like anti-transgender beliefs are widely supported, but this simply isn’t true.
MAP and Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) have partnered to show that, despite what news events may suggest, transgender people are widely accepted and supported by their families, workplaces, faith communities, and more. In the face of ongoing and still escalating political attacks on transgender people and our rights, the visibility of this norm and support is more vital than ever.
While A4TE’s U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS)—a 2022 national survey of over 92,000 transgender people across the country—clearly and consistently shows many experiences of discrimination and hardship for transgender people, it also shows the wide-reaching support that exists for transgender people across many different communities and parts of life.
As shown in Figure 1, the majority of transgender people in the survey report that their family, coworkers, and schoolmates who know they are transgender are supportive of them. For example, among transgender people who are out at work, 76% say their bosses are supportive of them, and 74% say their coworkers are as well.
Figure 1
Importantly, this remains true for transgender people in the survey who have served in the military: among those whose commanding officer or leadership knew they were transgender, 72% said those leaders were supportive. This further illustrates the harm of Trump’s recent ban on transgender military service (instituted after the 2022 USTS was conducted). Transgender people have been serving in the military for years with honor and success, including widespread support from their own leadership, prior to this politically manufactured and discriminatory ban.
Similarly, Figure 2 shows that the majority of transgender respondents in spiritual or religious communities say that their faith leaders and/or community members frequently show them support and acceptance. For example, 69% of transgender people in the survey who are part of a faith community say their faith leaders or community members made them feel welcome as a trans person “many times” over the previous year.
Figure 2
And, importantly, the survey also shows the clear and positive impact on life satisfaction when transgender people are able to access medically necessary healthcare or to socially transition. As Figure 3 shows, for example, 98% of transgender people in the survey taking prescription hormone medication say they are more satisfied with their life as a result.
Figure 3
Beyond the 2022 USTS, a recent PRRI poll of over 22,000 adults nationwide showed that 71% of all Americans—including 57% of Republicans and 77% of Independents—agree with the broad value that “transgender people deserve the same rights and protections as other Americans.” While the same survey showed support for some policies restricting transgender rights, we witnessed similar public support for banning same-sex marriage not so long ago. History reminds us that it takes time to help people, especially those who may not personally know a transgender person, connect the dots from our shared values of respect and equal opportunity, to how specific policies like bans on same-sex marriage—or bans on transgender people’s use of bathrooms—undermine LGBTQ people’s chances at a good life.
This is among the many reasons why public support for transgender people and other positive aspects of transgender people’s lives need visibility and amplification now more than ever. Despite escalating attacks and fear-inducing headlines, the reality is actually support for and acceptance of transgender people—and that transgender people can and do live joyful, fulfilling lives, given the chance.
Now more than ever, supporters and allies of transgender people need to make their voices heard and their support visible. To get involved, here are some opportunities at the national, state, and local level:
- Advocates for Trans Equality provides opportunities for community members to take action for transgender rights by contacting their state and federal lawmakers. They also provide online resources for learning about and supporting transgender people.
- Equality Federation is a network of over 50 state-based LGBTQ advocacy organizations, each of which has their own opportunities to get involved in your own state.
- CenterLink is a network of hundreds of local LGBTQ community centers nationwide, each of which provide programs, services, and other opportunities to get involved locally.
