There may be more people who fall along the spectrum of transgender and gender-nonconforming identity in America than you think.
According to a new study from The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, an estimated 0.6% of Americans, or 1.4 million adults, now identify as transgender.
The study, titled “How Many Adults Identify as Transgender in the United States,” is also the first of its kind to provide estimates of the population in each individual state identifying as transgender.
“The findings from this study are critical to current policy discussions that impact transgender people,” Jody Herman, one of the authors of the study, said in a press release. “Policy debates on access to bathrooms, discrimination and a host of other issues should rely on the best available data to assess potential impacts, including how many people may be affected.”
According to the press release, the 0.6 figure is double that of estimates from a decade prior. This is likely due to a number of intersecting factors, including increased visibility of transgender people, conversations about transgender and gender-nonconforming identity in the mainstream and increased legislative protections.
However, it’s important to remember that the battle for queer and transgender rights is far from over.
Before You Go
