About a year ago, San Francisco created the Office of Transgender Initiatives which strives to ensure that all residents have equal access to city services, and opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways to the success of the community and the city, regardless of gender identity or expression.
A study conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality in 2015 showed that:
- Unemployment rates were 3 times higher within the transgender community
- 29% of respondents were living in poverty, which is twice the rate of the US population
- 31% of respondents experienced at least one type of mistreatment in the past year in the place of public accommodations
You can find the entire report here.
As the City of San Francisco strives to better serve the transgender and gender non-conforming community, there are actions we can all take as well:
- Here is a list of commonly used terminology when discussing trans/LGBT issues
- For employers, the Transgender Law Center has created a Model Employer Policy which clarifies the law and helps your company welcome and include transgender, gender non-conforming, and transitioning employees.
- For consumer facing businesses the Human Rights Campaign has created printable placards that you can download and display in your stores to let the community know that you are “open to all”
- Lastly, here’s a link to resources for being an ally to the LGBTQ community
If you have any questions or would like additional resources, please feel free to email our Workforce and Youth Program Coordinator Rima at [email protected].