The Executive Summary of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey summarizes the life circumstances of
transgender people in the US, and the elevated rates of homelessness, unemployment, and other negative life
experiences. This study documents both rates of experience with specific forms of discrimination, and the impact of
systemic discrimination in many areas of life.
How do the findings of this report illustrate patterns of institutional discrimination? How might these forms of institutional
discrimination interact to create the high rates of poverty and overall lower incomes noted in the first section of the report?
Remember that institutional discrimination reflects patterns of marginalization within and between social institutions, it is
NOT a product of the beliefs, attitudes or values of individuals.
A good essay will draw connections between multiple areas of discrimination, and analyze how these would lead to lower
income throughout the lifespan. Try not to focus exclusively on catastrophic experience and outcomes; although
institutional discrimination generally has the most profound impact on the most vulnerable, its societal power comes from
its pervasiveness and impact on people across race and class groups
