Awareness of trans identities has grown, yet institutional supports for trans individuals remains fragmented and uncertain. Recently, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education have declared that federal civil rights law does not protect trans individuals from employment discrimination and refused to pursue trans students’ claims of discrimination in schools. Research into the lives of trans people is crucial to identifying key sources of risk and resilience among this population. The four papers of this symposium utilize innovative approaches to investigate the experiences of trans individuals in a range of contexts, including families, romantic relationships, and schools, and examine how community-level factors have an impact on trans individuals’ wellbeing. Collectively, they provide greater understanding of trans people’s experiences and suggest ways to reduce stigmatization.

Objectives

Three measurable objectives: (a) increase awareness of the experiences of trans individuals in various contexts; (b) identify protective factors for trans youth and young adults; (c) highlight innovative approaches to studying and assessing outcomes among trans individuals.