Poverty and Unemployment

       The current job market, economic inequality, limited job opportunities, and discrimination create an environment where having a full time job is the minority in the trans* community.  One out of every four trans person has a full time job and sixteen percent work part time.  Of those who actually have jobs only four percent make above $61,200, which is the median income in the bay area. Twenty two to sixty four percent of transgender people reported high unemployment rates and low earnings, less than $25,000 per year. (Badgett et al. 2007)

       Not only is there trouble in or obtaining a job, keeping a job is a whole separate issue. Seventy percent of the transgender community reports experiencing workplace harassment or discrimination directly related to their gender identity (Transgender State of California, 2009). Numbers also show that trans* people are not unqualified or undereducated because in California, ninety five percent of trans* people over the age of 25 holds a high school diploma or equivalent. Transgender Californians who responded to the survey are almost twice as likely to hold a bachelor's degree as the general California State population. (Transgender state of California, 2009). Of those who are discriminated against in a job setting whether it be harassment, termination, promotion denial, or reorganized most did not report it. Most trans* people do not know there are protections set in place. Since 2004 trans people in California are protected from discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

       Fun fact Minneapolis was the first city in the US to not allow discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression in 1975. St. Paul followed in 1990. Currently 109 cities/counties have the same laws (http://www.transgenderlaw.org/ndlaws/index.htm)

       
       A huge problem the trans community faces is no match letters. A gender no match letter is suppose to be protect your identity, when an employer checks with social security that you are who you say you are the employer will usually receive a gender no match letter, or electronic notification, still called a letter. This unfortunately creates a lot uncomfortable situations depending on how open someone is with their employer. Depending on state laws a trans person may not be able to change the gender on their social security number.

Most trans* people who cannot find jobs result to prostitution to be able to earn money.

State of Transgender California: Economic Health of Transgendered Californians. 2009. Transgender Law Center. Retrieved from http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org/pdf/StateofTransCAFINAL.pdf

Badgett, M.V. et. al. 2007. Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination. The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, UC Los Angeles: 1-27


* denotes transsexual transgender and gender non conforming