About the participants
This section includes data about the characteristics of survey participants by age, gender identity, racial and ethnic identity, age, income, housing, access to formal education, and disability. We highlight relative disadvantages among participants that can contribute to health inequities, such as low incomes and housing insecurity. We also include relative advantages, like higher rates of formal education compared to the general public in Los Angeles County.
DATA IN THIS SECTION
gender IDENTITY
PREFERRED terms
Participants selected from a list of 19 possible gender identity terms or wrote in terms. The first questions asked about all the terms participants used for their gender. The second questions asked about about their most preferred term.
Transmasculine is used in this report as a general encompassing political term. About 54% of survey participants said they used the term transmasculine for their own gender and only 14% preferred it.
There was considerable diversity and overlap in terms used by survey participants.
About 1 in 3 used terms like man, trans man, or ftm. Many of these same participants also used terms like non-binary, genderqueer, or gender non-conforming. About 1 in 4 preferred terms like non-binary, genderqueer, gender fluid, or gender non-conforming; yet, some of these participants also used terms like trans man. Another 17% preferred simply trans or transgender.
Some did not identify with any of the terms listed and wrote in other words they preferred.
ALL THE terms
MOST preferred term
agender, androgyne, Androgynous, bear cub, bigender, Boi, boy, butch, demiboy, dude, earth mother, femme, femme boi, fluidflux, gay, guy, gender non-compliant, gender variant, genderfluid, genderflux, genderfuck, intersexman of trans experience, neutrois, non-binary transmasculine, queer, queer bodied, shape shifter, stud, third-gender, trans guy, trans male, transgender man, transsexual, two-spirit, woman or female.
TMSHRJ:LA survey participant
TMSHRJ:LA survey participant
Identification documents
We asked participants about their gender marker on various forms of state identification. Mandatory gender markers on identification paperwork can create significant inequities for TGI people.
MARKER IS ‘M’
MARKER IS ‘F’
Many Transmsaculine people are unable or do not want to change their
documents. This may be due to prohibitive costs, administrative
barriers, immigration status, concerns about discrimination, not having a
‘male’ gender identity, fears of future incarceration, and many other
reasons. The survey was conducted before the passage of the Gender Recognition Act in California which now allows people to change the gender marker on their state identification to X.
RACIAL and ETHNIC identity
Racial / ethnic categories
We asked participants to select all racial or ethnic group identities. Participants could also write in their racial or ethnic identity.
We refer to Black and Indigenous People and other People of Color (BIPOC) as a political category of analysis in this report. About 58% of survey participants identified as something other than or in addition to white. This included many participants who said they were bi-racial/multi-racial/mixed or selected or wrote in more than one of the categories we listed.
Only one-quarter of participants said they were Latinx and/or Hispanic, far less than the estimated portion of the general population in Los Angeles County (45%). This may be due in part to differences in how we asked this question, but it also likely reflects an under-representation in our research practices. This includes that our outreach and survey was conducted in English only.
SELECT ALL that apply
Asian mix, Black and Mexican, Black Indigenous, black/filipino, brown, Cantonese, Chicano, Chicanx, chinese, Chinese-Thai, Desi, Eastern European Jew, Filipino, Filipinx, Greek, Hispanic, I’m a mutt, Proud Mexican, Iranian American, Japanese and Black, Jewish, Mestizx, Mutt, Mexican, mixed, Mixed, Mixed European Decent, Mixed race. Hispanic. Mixed/Hapa, multi-ethnic, Multiracial, Native/Indigenous, Polish, Portuguese, Salvadoran, Salvadoreñx indigenx, Salvadorian American, Scottish/Cherokee, South Asian, Taiwanese American, Tamil Sri Lankan, Vietnamese, white ashkenazi jew, White Jewish, White passing Jewish, Syrian, European and Romani, xicanx.
BIPOC
LOOK FOR THE FIST. We use this symbol in this report wherever we found statistically significant differences in the responses of participants who were Black and Indigenous People and other People Of Color (BIPOC) compared to those who were white. We know Transmasculine BIPOC is not a monolithic group. This is just one way to try to highlight how racism and xenophobia impact Transmasculine health and health care experiences with the data we have. Our intention is to lift up and inform advocacy at the intersections of trans health and racial justice.
Immigration history
We asked participants if they identified as an Immigrant to the united States
OF THOSE WHO IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDES MULTIPLE SELECTION)
- 50% Latinx/Hispanic
- 33% Asian and/or Pacific Islander
- 12% biracial, multiracial, mixed
- 10% Middle-eastern, North African
- 10% white
- 7% Black
AGE
We asked participants their age in years. Only participants who were 18 or older were eligible to take the survey.
participants ranged from age 18 to 67
Participants were younger than the general population in Los Angeles County. National research suggests that younger people are more likely to identify as trans and gender nonconforming. This might also reflect an unintended bias in our outreach toward younger participants.
INCOME
Annual income
We asked participants about their annual incomes and whether they were supporting financial dependents.
Most survey participants reported a low to extremely low income for LA County. At the time of the survey, a single person in Los Angeles County with income less than $50,500 qualified as low income for federal housing programs.
income source
We asked participants about their current source(s) of income. Many selected multiple options.
About 1 in 5 white participants received some form of income support from family members compared to about 1 in 10 BIPOC participants
RECEIVED INCOME SUPPORT FROM FAMILY
HOUSING & History of homelessness
Current housing
We asked participants about the kind of housing they stay most nights, including whether they owned or rented their home or if they stayed with family or friends who paid the rent.
Most participants had housing at the time of the survey. However, more than 1 in 4 participants lived with family members, partners, or friends who paid the rent. Having a support network is a huge health benefit. However, being reliant on others for shelter can also contribute to vulnerabilities for some.
Few participants were homeowners. An estimated 64% of households are rented in Los Angeles. However, among survey participants who either rented or owned a home, 90% of these households were rented.
THe PLACE YOU STAY MOST NIGHTS
history of homelessness
We asked participants about their prior experiences staying in shelters or living on the streets/camping due to homelessness.
A greater portion of BIPOC participants had experienced homelessness in their lifetimes compared to white participants.
HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS
TMSHRJ:LA survey participant
TMSHRJ:LA survey participant
EDUCATION
formal education
We asked participants about whether they had a high school degree, attended college, had a four year degree or had a graduate degree.
Participants had high levels of formal education. Nearly two-thirds of participants (ages 25+) had a 4-year college degree (63%), a figure that is nearly double the portion of the general population of Los Angeles County (ages 25+) with a four-year college degree (32%). This is consistent with national evidence that a greater portion of trans people attain college degrees than those in the general population. This may also reflect a sampling bias toward participants with greater levels of formal education.
Fewer BIPOC had a 4-year degree. About 55% of BIPOC participants over age 25 had a 4-year college degree compared to 75% of white participants over 25. Both percentages exceed comparative figures in the general population in Los Angeles County.
HAS A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE
disability
identifies as having a disability
We asked participants about whether they identified as having a disability and included an write in box for optional description.
ADD, ADHD, anxiety, anxiety disorder, Arthritis, autistic person, Autistic Spectrum, Bipolar, Central auditory processing disorder,
chronic cyclic depression, chronic illness, degenerative disc disease & associated chronic pain, depression, dyslexia, hearing loss, I am physically disabled, I have major depressive disorder, IBS, I stutter, learning disability, PTSD, Major Depression, manic depressive, Mental health difference, multiple sclerosis, Mentally Ill, Invisible Physical Disability, Mobility impairment, Non Verbal Learning Disability, orthopedic, Psychiatric, PTSD, reading disability, schizoaffective disorder.
Data findings & visualizations
Data findings and visualizations:
OUr partners
