Transgender people in Los Angeles County face a unique set of challenges that can be difficult to navigate. From a lack of access to healthcare providers trained in counseling transgender individuals, to the absence of non-discrimination ordinances (NDOs) in rural communities, the difficulties faced by this population are numerous. In order to gain a better understanding of the issues faced by transgender people in Los Angeles County, follow-up interviews were conducted with seven Two-Spirit residents and transgender people from rural Montana communities. The results of these interviews revealed that many participants had to conduct extensive research to find professionals trained and experienced in counseling transgender people, and often had to travel far from their community to access these services.
Additionally, the lack of NGOs in many rural communities was found to contribute to a sense of anxiety related to coming out as transgender and feeling more marginalized. The Los Angeles Adoptive Youth Survey (LAFYS) was conducted as the first step towards collecting population data on LGBTQ foster care youth. This survey also involved collaborating with social services to help identify ways to confidentially integrate sexual orientation and transgender status into public data systems. Participants from larger communities noted that political discourse in these places tended to be more liberal and that residents were more likely to support NDOs or other policies aimed at protecting the rights of trans people.
However, those living in smaller communities lacked legal protection against employment discrimination and job loss that could result from their gender identity. The experiences shared by the participants in relation to police surveillance and gender-based harassment highlighted the ways in which conservative community attitudes are manifested in everyday reality and in the experiences experienced by transgender people in rural communities. Ultimately, the increase in health care training for transgender people must also be accompanied by the enactment of durable legal protections against discrimination in the health care environment for transgender patients and other LGBTQ individuals. By transcending cultural gender norms, transgender people living in Los Angeles County demonstrate strength and resilience in the face of adversity. However, without systematic data collection on LGBTQ youth in foster care, it is difficult for the child welfare system to address the unique challenges faced by this population.
Participants who had made the decision to declare themselves transgender and live full time with their gender identity reported significant improvements in their physical and mental health, emotional well-being, and a renewed desire to care for themselves.
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