What’s transphobia?

What’s transphobia?

Transphobia is the fear, hatred, disbelief, or mistrust of people who are transgender, thought to be transgender, or whose gender expression doesn’t conform to traditional gender roles. Transphobia can prevent transgender and gender nonconforming people from living full lives free from harm.

Transphobia can take many different forms, including

• negative attitudes and beliefs
• aversion to and prejudice against transgender people
• irrational fear and misunderstanding
• disbelief or discounting preferred pronouns or gender identity
• derogatory language and name-calling
• bullying, abuse, and even violence

Transphobia can create both subtle and overt forms of discrimination. For example, people who are transgender (or even just thought to be transgender) may be denied jobs, housing, or health care, just because they’re transgender.

People may hold transphobic beliefs if they were taught them by other people, including parents and families who encourage negative ideas about trans people and who hold strict beliefs about traditional gender roles.

Some people are transphobic because they have misinformation or have no information at all about trans identities. They may not be aware of transgender people or trans issues or personally know anyone who is trans.

The stress of transphobia on trans people can be very harmful and can cause:

• depression
• fear
• isolation
• feelings of hopelessness
• suicide

Definition from: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/transgender