March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility. This is a day to celebrate how far the transgender and gender nonconforming community has come. However, anti-transgender violence, homelessness, and healthcare disparities continue to impact the community and especially its youth.
According to the CDC, an average of 1.8% of high school students identify as transgender. Transgender students are more likely to report substance use, higher risk of suicide, risky sexual behaviors, and violence victimization as opposed to their cisgender counterparts.
According to the Center for American Progress, there are 1.6 million to 2.8 million homeless youth in America; gay or transgender youth make up four times the homeless youth population than that of the non-LGBT+ youth population.
According to a 2017 study from the University of Chicago, young LGBT+ were at a 120% higher risk of homelessness in comparison to their heterosexual youth counterparts.
Along with these alarming statistics, transgender youth face several barriers to quality healthcare. Transgender youth often report a lack of health care providers who are knowledgeable of the LGBT+ community, discrimination in healthcare settings, unaffordable care, and lack of access to necessary products, such as hormone blockers.
ABA Services of Colorado stands against the oppression of the LGBT+ community and provides equal opportunities and services for all.