5 Resources For How To Be A Better Trans Ally
Posted by Nicole Moran on March 31, 2020 at 1:38 pm
About
The 31st of March marks International Transgender Day of Visibility. This day is an annual event which is dedicated to the celebration of transgender people, their lives and their achievements while simultaneously raising awareness about the continuing and extensive violence and discrimination that the transgender community faces. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are constantly struggling for their basic human rights. Now more than ever, it is important to be a trans ally and to support the trans community.
The term transgender is “a broad term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be when they were born”[1]. Transgender identities incorporate a wide spectrum of gender identities from transgender men and transgender women to non-binary, gender queer and gender non-conforming identities.
Research has shown that transgender people face huge discrimination in various social realms, especially in accessing primary healthcare services[2], housing and employment[3]. Transgender people are also at significantly higher risk of violence and hate crimes. In 2017, YouGov and Stonewall carried out a research in which they surveyed 871 transgender people in the UK about their experiences of discrimination and violence over a period of 12 months. The research showed that 41% of transgender people and 31% of non-binary people had experienced a hate crime because of their gender identity. 28% of transgender people had experienced intimate partner abuse. Furthermore, 25% had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives and 41% experienced that professional healthcare staff lacked understanding of specific trans health[4].
The trans community needs support and cisgender people can actively support and show solidarity with the transgender community. We have put together a short resource document for those of you who want to practice being a better trans ally. There are hundreds of ways in which cisgender people can offer support and show solidarity with the transgender community. Some starting points include:
- Respect people’s pronouns, even if you do not understand them: If you are unsure of someone’s pronouns, just ask them. If their pronouns are ones which you are unfamiliar with, ask them to repeat them or write them down so you can familiarise yourself with them.
- Never, ever out somebody: It is never your place to tell about somebody else being transgender. Some transgender people decide to only share their identity with certain people, therefore you should be mindful and respectful of this.
Below you can find resources on how to be a better trans ally.
Resources
Gender Neutral Pronouns Charts
Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally
Straight for Equality: Trans Ally Resources
Tips for Allies of Transgender People
To download our resource document, click here
[1] The National Centre for Transgender Equality. (2016). Understanding Transgender People: The Basics. Online at: https://transequality.org/issues/resources/understanding-transgender-people-the-basics
[2] Cruz, M.T. (2014). Assessing access to care for transgender and gender nonconforming people: A consideration of diversity in combating discrimination. Social Science & Medicine 110, 65-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.03.032
[3] Bradford, J., Reisner, S. L., Honnold, J. A., & Xavier, J. (2013). Experiences of transgender-related discrimination and implications for health: results from the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study. American journal of public health, 103(10), 1820–1829. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300796
[4] Bachmann,L.C & Gooch,B. (2018). LGBT in Britain: Trans Report. Stonewall. Online at: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/system/files/lgbt_in_britain_-_trans_report_final.pdf
