11 Dupont Circle NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036 | 202.588.5180 Fax 202.588.5185 | www.nwlc.org
If you really care about reproductIve justIce, you should care about transgender rIghts : factsheet
Accessing reproductive health care can be particularly difcult for transgender people. Discrimination and
coverage restrictions prevent many transgender individuals from getting appropriate care. In addition, many
transgender individuals are reluctant to seek reproductive care because of stigma. One study showed that half of
transgender men did not receive annual pelvic exams, in part because of discomfort with the physical exam and
nding a medical provider with whom they were comfortable.
10
Reproductive Justice Means Economic Justice for Trans Women
Economic justice is essential to achieving reproductive justice, yet transgender people are often unable to obtain
economic security. Transgender and gender non-conforming people almost universally report harassment and
mistreatment on the job.
11
Nearly half report having been red, denied a promotion, or not having been hired
because of their gender identity.
12
As a result, unemployment for transgender and gender non-conforming
workers is twice the rate for the population as a whole.
13
In addition, transgender individuals face pay discrimination in the workplace. Studies suggest the earnings of
transgender women workers fall by nearly a third following transition.
14
Even though transgender individuals are
more likely than the general population to have a college education, they are four times more likely to have a
household income under $10,000 per year (15% vs. 4%).
15
The numbers are worse for transgender individuals of
color. According to one study, 34% of black and 28% of Latino/a transgender individuals had a household income
of less than $10,000 a year.
16
Gender identity discrimination in the workplace threatens economic security and puts transgender people at
high risk of poverty. As a result, transgender individuals often lack the economic power essential to realizing
reproductive justice.
Reproductive Justice Demands an End to Physical Violence Against Transgender Individuals
Transgender individuals are at increased risk of experiencing violence or assault at some point in their lives. In a
recent survey, at least 26% of transgender and gender non-conforming respondents had been physically assaulted
and 10% were sexually assaulted because they were transgender or gender non-conforming.
17
In 2014 trans
women were 1.6 times more likely to experience physical violence and 6.1 times more likely to experience physical
police violence than LGBTQ and HIV affected communities at large.
18
Trans women of color are particularly likely
to experience violence.
19
In 2014, at least 13 trans women were murdered in the United States, and in the rst 8
months of 2015, at least 19 trans women have been murdered.
20
Of these women, all but one were either black or
Latina.
21
Reproductive Justice demands that all people are able to live their lives free from violence or the threat of violence
because of who they are. The prevalence of targeted violence means that for many transgender individuals
expressing their gender identity increases the threat of violence. As a result, fear of violence can keep transgender
people from making the decisions about their gender expression and bodies that are best for them.
Reproductive Justice Necessitates the Use of Inclusive Language
Language choices often reect a lack of knowledge about what it means to be transgender and perpetuate
stigma. For example, using incorrect pronouns or misgendering privileges certain sex characteristics and ignores
an individual’s gender identity. Similarly, phrases such as “naturally-born woman” or “real man” imply that it
is unnatural or unreal to be transgender. Reproductive justice advocacy can perpetuate these problems. For
example, materials that focus solely on “women’s health” or “women’s access” can exclude transgender men and
other individuals who also need access to comprehensive reproductive health care.