Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ban transgender individuals from serving in the US military. The president’s comments further stigmatize a group of individuals who are more likely than the general population to be military personnel despite facing widespread discrimination.
In 2015, the National Center for Transgender Equality published the findings of a survey that reflected the experiences of 27,715 transgender people in the 50 US states. Their findings show that, compared with the general population, transgender people in America are:
- 2.3 times more likely to serve in the military
- Three times more likely to have experienced a sexual assault
- Three times more likely to live in a household with an annual income less than $10k
- 4.8 times more likely to experience police harassment
- 8.7 times more likely to have attempted suicide at some point in their lives
This data sketch echoes the transgender pride flag, designed by Monica Helms in 1999. The blue and pink stripes represent traditional associations for girls and boys, while the white stripe represents those who don’t fit society’s sex and gender norms. And, because the flag can’t be flown upside-down, it sends a message that there is no right or wrong way to be gendered.
