KFF/The Washington Post Trans Survey

The latest partnership from KFF and The Washington Post project provides unique insights into the attitudes and experiences of trans adults living in the U.S. There are nearly 2 million people living in the U.S. who identify as transgender or trans, representing less than 1% of all adults. This group reports experiencing stigma and systemic inequality in many aspects of their lives including education, housing, and health care access. In addition, trans people are more likely to be victims of discrimination and violence including verbal and physical assaults and intimidation.

This project is the most in-depth, representative survey of transgender adults living in the U.S., interviewing 515 trans and gender non-conforming individuals, from diverse backgrounds and with differing experiences. KFF and The Washington Post also included a comparison survey of 823 cisgender adults.

PROJECT DETAILS:
The KFF/Washington Post Trans Survey is the most in-depth representative survey of
transgender adults living in the U.S., from diverse backgrounds and with differing experiences, aimed at better understanding trans adult experiences in the U.S.
WHO WAS INTERVIEWED?
The survey interviewed 515 transgender adults. It also included interviews with 823
cisgender adults.
KEY TERMS:
Trans: “Trans” is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. This includes but is not limited to:
• Transgender men and women;
• Non-binary trans adults, or those whose gender identity isn’t a “man” or a “woman” but could involve both or neither; and
• Gender non-conforming trans adults, or those whose gender identity doesn’t conform with society’s gender norms.
Cisgender: “Cisgender” describes individuals whose gender identity corresponds
with the sex they were assigned at birth.
KEY FINDINGS:
• Most trans adults are young. The trans adult population is younger than the
larger cisgender adult population, with the majority of trans adults younger than
35 years old.
• Most trans adults say transitioning helped them. Nearly 8 in 10 trans adults
(78%) say that living as a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth
has made them “more satisfied” with their life, including just under half (45%) who
say they are “a lot more satisfied.” Likewise, trans adults who say they present
as a different gender “all” or “most of the time” are three times more likely to say
they are “a lot more satisfied” living as a gender different from the sex they were
assigned at birth, compared to those who present as a different gender “some of
the time” (62% v. 19%).
• Many trans adults don’t identify as a man or a woman. Six in ten trans adults
do not identify as either a “trans man” or a “trans woman,” but instead say “trans,
gender non-conforming” or “trans, nonbinary” are better ways of describing
themselves.
• Pronoun preferences vary. About half of trans adults (48%) use they/them
pronouns, and about one-third say they use a combination of they/them, she/her
or he/him pronouns.
• Gender identity differs from sexual orientation. Seven in ten trans adults identify
as lesbian, gay, queer, or bisexual.
• Most realized they were trans in childhood. Most trans adults (66%) say they
began to understand that their gender was different from the sex they were
assigned at birth before the age of 18, including a third (32%) who say they began
to understand when they were ten years old or younger and another third (34%)
who say they began between the ages of 11 and 17.