News Release 11-Oct-2020

Transgender people who experience discrimination likelier to have poor mental
health

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   A University of Waikato study has found that transgender people who
   have experienced stigma, including harassment, violence, and
   discrimination because of their identity are much more likely to have
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   Based on the responses of 1,178 people who completed a national
   Aotearoa/New Zealand survey, the findings published in the
   International Journal of Transgender Health, also show that over half
   (51%) of transgender people had been discriminated against for being
   transgender.

   A team of experts from Waikato, and the University of Otago, assessed
   the results of the 2018 'Counting Ourselves' survey - a nationwide
   community-based questionnaire of transgender people living in
   Aotearoa/New Zealand.

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   discriminatory experiences alongside protective factors such as the
   support of friends, family, neighbours and communities, are related to
   the mental health of transgender people in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

   Their results show that 23% of transgender people had been verbally
   harassed in public venues (such as public transport, retail stores and
   restaurants) for being transgender, whilst more than one-third (39%)
   had been victimised through cyberbullying.

   It is well-documented that transgender people face high rates of
   discrimination, harassment, violence and serious mental health
   disparities.
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   appear to act as a buffer against this.

   "One quarter (25%) of transgender participants who had high levels of
   discrimination, harassment and violence, and low levels of support from
   friends, family and community, had attempted suicide in the last year.
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   Principal Investigator Dr Jaimie Veale added that these mental health
   inequities mean that transgender people should be a named priority in
   mental health and addiction policies.

   "To improve the mental health and wellbeing of transgender people, we
   need to address the stigma and discrimination that they face. We also
   need to protect transgender people from violence, as a priority in
   sexual and domestic violence work."

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More on this News Release

Transgender people who experience discrimination likelier to have poor mental
health

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   Journal
          International Journal of Transgender Health

   Funder