Newly released Washington-specific data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS)i
shows that 37 percent of transgender Washingtonians have experienced homelessness in their
lifetimes and 28 percent live in poverty.
The USTS, a nationwide survey of nearly 28,000 respondents, had 1,667 respondents living in
Washington State. According to the recently released report, trans Washingtonians face striking
levels of police abuse, as well as mistreatment in schools, the workplace and health care
settings. “These results come as no surprise,” said Yani Robinson, Program Manager for
Gender Justice League. “These numbers reflect what we hear from trans community members,
who often feel profiled and harassed or mistreated by police officers.”
On Tuesday August 15, local community organizations Gender Justice League, Ingersoll
Gender Center, and TRANSform Washington will hold a press conference at 6PM followed by a
community meeting at Southside Commons 3518 S Edmunds St, Seattle, WA 98118 from 6:30
to 8PM. Community leaders will share and discuss results from four key areas of pressing
concern: housing, education, police interaction, and healthcare.ii
“This report confirms what we already know from helping trans and gender nonconforming
people navigate housing, employment and healthcare challenges for the past four decades;
transgender and gender nonconforming Washingtonians face higher reported rates of
discrimination than other trans communities across the country,” said Karter Booher, Executive
Director of Ingersoll Gender Center. “After years of legislative attacks and two ballot measure
attempts, we have a long way to go in Seattle and across the State of Washington to support
transgender and gender nonconforming communities.”
Press, elected officials, community leaders, and allies are all invited to attend the event. Trans
community leaders will be available for press questions.
The event is hosted by Gender Justice League, a trans justice organization that advocates for
trans and gender diverse people throughout Washington State, Ingersoll Gender Center, which
has been building community, connecting folks to resources and advocating for our transgender
and gender nonconforming communities for over four decades, and Pride Foundation’s
TRANSform Washington campaign, which is focused on the lives and experiences of
transgender and gender diverse people, with an emphasis on communities of color.
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