Violence, Stigma, and Discrimination against Trans People in Maryland

Abstract

The Maryland Trans Survey is a community-based research project conducted by Trans Maryland and the Queer/Trans Collective for Research on Equity and Wellness examining experiences of trans people in the State of Maryland in areas such as health and healthcare, employment and economic well-being, and legal and policy experiences. To date, this is the largest survey of trans people in the State, with 750 trans people representing all 23 counties in Maryland and Baltimore City.

Data were collected from June to December 2023 through in-person and online community outreach. The project was approved by Towson University’s Institutional Review Board (Protocol #1897) and used Transgender Research Informed Consent (TRICON) Disclosures to provide trans community members with additional transparency on the project, recognizing long histories of harmful practices in trans research from scientific institutions.

Trans and nonbinary people are significantly more likely to experience violence than cisgender people. Violence takes many forms (i.e., physical or sexual assault) and comes from different sources (i.e., perpetrators can be strangers, friends or family, law enforcement, etc.). Violence and discrimination against trans people is a form of gender-based violence, as power imbalances associated with their gender identity make this community more vulnerable to harm and less able to access resources in the wake of violence. Perpetrators frequently leverage anti-trans bias to exert power and control over trans people. Additional prejudices, including sexism, racism, and ableism intersect in unique ways that may increase a person’s risk for experiencing violence. Trans individuals who experience violence are more likely to suffer from negative physical and mental health outcomes.

This brief contains information from the survey related to experiences of trans people with violence, stigma, and discrimination to help advocates, policymakers, and community-serving entities better understand and support the current needs of trans people in Maryland.