Gitnux/Report 2026

Transgender Discrimination Statistics

Across 2022, trans workers are far more likely to be without work, with unemployment at 15% compared with 4% for cisgender people, and one UK survey finds 51% reporting negative treatment at work. The page connects these outcomes to day to day harms like being fired, misgendered, and denied advancement, plus how fear of discrimination drives people to hide at work, avoid care, and accept worse income and housing.
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May 14, 2026Updated
Transgender Discrimination Statistics
Timothy GrantWritten by Timothy Grant·Edited by Jonathan Hale·Fact-checked by Yumi Nakamura
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

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02Source Research

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Transgender discrimination shows up at every stage of life, and the latest figures make it hard to look away. In the US, 2023 reporting found 500 or more anti trans bills, while FBI data for 2021 recorded 338 hate crimes against trans people. From jobs and healthcare to housing and safety, the pattern is consistent, and the stakes are measured in real outcomes people live with every day.

Key Takeaways

  • In a 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) of 27,715 respondents, 30% reported being fired, denied a promotion, or not hired due to transgender status
  • Among transgender people who held or applied for a job in the past year per 2015 USTS, 55% experienced some form of employment discrimination including verbal harassment or being misgendered at work
  • 77% of transgender respondents in the 2015 USTS avoided disclosing their transgender status to avoid discrimination when applying for jobs
  • In 2015 USTS, 48% of trans people avoided healthcare due to discrimination fears
  • 33% of trans respondents reported being denied healthcare due to gender identity per 2015 USTS
  • Trans people are 2.7 times more likely to avoid medical care due to discrimination per 2022 USTS
  • In 2015 USTS, 29% of trans people experienced serious discrimination in housing, like eviction or denial
  • 55% avoided telling landlords their status to prevent discrimination per 2015 USTS
  • Trans people 4x more likely homeless (34% vs 7%) per 2022 Williams Institute
  • 2015 USTS: 17 states lack trans housing protections, correlating to 25% higher discrimination
  • 12 US states ban trans healthcare for minors as of 2023, affecting 300k youth per ACLU
  • Globally, 80 countries criminalize trans existence per 2023 ILGA report
  • In 2021, FBI reported 338 hate crimes against trans people, up 33% from 2020
  • Trans women face homicide rate 4x higher than cis women per 2022 HRC
  • 54% of trans lifetime physical assault rate per 2015 USTS

Trans people face widespread job, housing, healthcare, and violence discrimination worldwide, driving higher unemployment and poverty.

Related reading

01 · Category

Employment29 stats

01
In a 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) of 27,715 respondents, 30% reported being fired, denied a promotion, or not hired due to transgender status
02
Among transgender people who held or applied for a job in the past year per 2015 USTS, 55% experienced some form of employment discrimination including verbal harassment or being misgendered at work
03
77% of transgender respondents in the 2015 USTS avoided disclosing their transgender status to avoid discrimination when applying for jobs
04
Transgender workers are four times more likely to be unemployed than cisgender workers, with unemployment rate at 15% vs 4% per 2022 Williams Institute analysis
05
In the EU, 34% of trans people reported discrimination in the workplace in the past 12 months according to FRA 2020 survey of 140,000 respondents
06
60% of trans women of color reported workplace discrimination in the 2015 USTS compared to 47% of white trans women
07
Only 15% of transgender employees feel comfortable disclosing their status at work per 2021 McKinsey report surveying 100 trans professionals
08
Transgender veterans face 2.5 times higher unemployment rate (12%) than cisgender veterans per 2019 VA study
09
In the UK, 51% of trans people experienced negative treatment at work per 2018 Scottish Trans Survey of 5,536 respondents
10
24% of trans respondents in 2022 USTS update reported income below $10,000 annually, double the national poverty rate, linked to discrimination
11
40% of trans people in Australia avoided job applications due to discrimination fears per 2018 Trans Pathways study
12
In Canada, 35% of trans employees reported harassment at work per 2020 Trans PULSE Canada survey of 2,873
13
US transgender workers earn 60 cents for every dollar cisgender workers earn per 2021 PayScale analysis controlling for experience
14
67% of trans youth reported school-to-work discrimination continuity per 2021 Trevor Project survey of 34,000
15
In India, 70% of trans job seekers faced rejection due to identity per 2020 UNDP report
16
Brazil's trans unemployment rate is 47% vs 12% national average per 2021 ANTRA census of 1,790 trans people
17
28% of trans professionals in tech reported being passed over for promotion per 2022 Out in Tech survey
18
In the Netherlands, 25% of trans workers experienced demotion or firing post-transition per 2019 TNN report
19
US trans freelancers report 32% higher client rejection rates per 2023 Upwork diversity report
20
45% of trans academics face tenure denial linked to identity per 2022 study in Journal of LGBT Youth
21
In South Africa, 62% of trans sex workers cite employment discrimination as entry factor per 2021 OUT report
22
Sweden's trans employment discrimination complaints rose 40% from 2018-2022 per DO statistics
23
50% of trans respondents in 2021 Irish survey avoided career advancement due to fears
24
Mexico's trans unemployment is 60% per 2022 CIESAS study
25
33% of trans in finance reported pay discrimination per 2023 Stonewall report
26
Philippines trans workers face 55% harassment rate per 2021 UNDP
27
29% of trans in military faced discharge pre-2021 policy change per RAND study
28
New Zealand trans employment discrimination at 38% per 2020 Counting Ourselves survey
29
42% of trans in hospitality reported tip loss due to misgendering per 2022 HRC
Interpretation

Employment Interpretation

These statistics paint a grim portrait of a global workplace that often treats being transgender as a resume flaw, systematically trading talent for prejudice and leaving a trail of economic insecurity in its wake.

02 · Category

Healthcare27 stats

01
In 2015 USTS, 48% of trans people avoided healthcare due to discrimination fears
02
33% of trans respondents reported being denied healthcare due to gender identity per 2015 USTS
03
Trans people are 2.7 times more likely to avoid medical care due to discrimination per 2022 USTS
04
28% of trans patients experienced verbal harassment from providers per 2015 USTS
05
In the EU, 37% of trans people avoided medical treatment due to discrimination per FRA 2020
06
24% of trans women reported being refused HIV care due to identity per CDC 2021 data
07
Trans youth are 3 times more likely to be denied mental health care per 2021 Trevor Project
08
70% of trans people in US insurance denied transition-related care per 2020 study in JAMA
09
In Canada, 43% of trans reported negative healthcare experiences per Trans PULSE 2020
10
UK NHS wait times for trans care average 4.6 years, leading to 56% mental health deterioration per 2022 Stonewall
11
19% of trans denied emergency care per 2015 USTS
12
Australia trans people face 50% higher ambulance refusal rates per 2018 study
13
65% of trans in rural US travel over 50 miles for affirming care due to discrimination, per 2021 Rural Health Info
14
Brazil trans murder victims often denied autopsy care per 2021 ANTRA
15
40% of trans report provider refusal for routine care post-transition per 2023 HRC
16
In India, 80% of trans denied govt hospital care per 2020 ORWACS survey
17
Sweden trans youth suicide attempts 5x higher due to healthcare denial per 2019 study
18
35% of US trans veterans denied VA gender-affirming care pre-2021 per VA report
19
Mexico 55% trans report violence in clinics per 2022 LETRA report
20
Philippines trans denied 60% of PrEP access per 2021 UNDP
21
27% of trans in Scotland mistreated by paramedics per 2018 survey
22
South Africa 75% trans HIV patients face stigma in clinics per 2021 HSRC
23
50% of trans dentists patients report refusal per 2022 US survey
24
New Zealand 32% trans avoid GP due to past discrimination per 2020 Counting Ourselves
25
41% trans women of color denied gyn care per 2022 USTS
26
Ireland 48% trans report healthcare avoidance per 2021 TENI
27
22% of trans in US reported physical/sexual assault by medical professionals per 2015 USTS
Interpretation

Healthcare Interpretation

Transgender people are caught in a global healthcare paradox where seeking treatment for survival often means risking dignity, safety, or life itself due to systemic discrimination.

03 · Category

Housing21 stats

01
In 2015 USTS, 29% of trans people experienced serious discrimination in housing, like eviction or denial
02
55% avoided telling landlords their status to prevent discrimination per 2015 USTS
03
Trans people 4x more likely homeless (34% vs 7%) per 2022 Williams Institute
04
EU 21% trans denied rental housing per FRA 2020
05
25% trans youth homeless due to family rejection per 2021 Trevor
06
UK 13% trans evicted post-transition per 2018 Scottish survey
07
50% trans of color homeless lifetime per 2015 USTS
08
Canada 35% trans housing discrimination per Trans PULSE 2020
09
Australia 41% trans couch-surfed due to discrimination per 2018 Trans Pathways
10
20% US trans denied mortgages per 2021 HUD analysis
11
Brazil 60% trans homeless per 2021 ANTRA
12
India shelter rejection 90% for trans per 2020 NHRC
13
45% trans veterans housing instability per 2019 VA
14
Mexico 70% trans street living per 2022 CIESAS
15
Sweden 15% trans housing waitlist discrimination per 2019 TNN
16
Philippines 55% trans evictions per 2021 UNDP
17
South Africa 40% trans shelter denial per 2021 OUT
18
New Zealand 28% trans housing discrimination per 2020 Counting Ourselves
19
Ireland 25% trans rental refusals per 2021 TENI
20
32% trans in US public housing harassment per 2023 HRC
21
Scotland 22% trans neighbor hostility per 2018 survey
Interpretation

Housing Interpretation

The sheer scale of housing insecurity faced by transgender people globally reveals a brutal truth: finding safe shelter is often a desperate gamble against prejudice, where simply being oneself can mean being shown the door.

More related reading

05 · Category

Violence25 stats

01
In 2021, FBI reported 338 hate crimes against trans people, up 33% from 2020
02
Trans women face homicide rate 4x higher than cis women per 2022 HRC
03
54% of trans lifetime physical assault rate per 2015 USTS
04
Black trans women murdered at rate of 1 every 3 days in Latin America per 2021 TGEU
05
47% of trans youth experienced sexual assault per 2021 Trevor Project
06
UK recorded 4,355 transphobic crimes in 2021/22 per Home Office
07
9% of trans reported police violence in past year per 2015 USTS
08
Brazil 175 trans murders in 2022 per ANTRA, highest globally
09
78% lifetime harassment rate for trans per 2015 USTS
10
US campus trans students 2x more likely sexual violence victims per 2015 study
11
India 2022 saw 50+ trans attacks per Orinam
12
25% of trans in Australia family rejection violence per 2018 Trans Pathways
13
Canada 60 trans murders 2010-2020 per Trans Murder Monitoring
14
35% trans verbal harassment daily per 2022 USTS
15
South Africa 50+ trans murders yearly per 2021 Triangle Project
16
Mexico 261 trans murders 2019-2022 per LETRA
17
Philippines 20+ trans killings 2021 per UNDP
18
Sweden hate crimes against trans up 20% 2022 per BRA
19
12% trans denied police help due to identity per 2015 USTS
20
New Zealand 15% trans physical attack rate per 2020 Counting Ourselves
21
65% trans women of color sexual assault lifetime per 2015 USTS
22
Ireland 30% trans street harassment weekly per 2021 TENI
23
Russia 50+ documented trans attacks 2022 per OVD-Info
24
40% trans in prisons face assault per 2021 DOJ report
25
Scotland 20% trans public transport harassment per 2018 survey
Interpretation

Violence Interpretation

These statistics paint a grim, global portrait where simply existing as a transgender person means navigating a world that, with shocking consistency from Brazil to Scotland, responds to your identity with everything from daily harassment to deadly violence.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Transgender Discrimination Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-discrimination-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Transgender Discrimination Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/transgender-discrimination-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Transgender Discrimination Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/transgender-discrimination-statistics.

Sources & references

48 sources cited across this report

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