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The survey of some 1500 Texans comes just weeks after Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced his plans to circumvent city laws protecting transgender access to public restrooms. The survey reveals a high rate of transgender people dropping out of school because of bullying and economic hardship caused by employment problems. Lou Weaver is with Equality Texas.
“The data shows that trans people are fired from jobs once their employer finds out that they are transgender, or they’re denied jobs. Thirty percent of respondents have experienced homelessness in the past year. Twenty-two percent experience some form of housing discrimination. They can’t rent an apartment or they’re kicked out.”
Weaver says the transgender community feels threatened by state leadership making the bathroom issue such a priority.
“We’re seeing our elected officials be bullies through SB6, saying that everybody uses a bathroom based on a birth certificate. Transgender people are afraid to navigate society. If you’re out in public and you’re not allowed to use public accommodations, how are you going to navigate being away from home? How are you going to navigate an eight-hour job?”
Lieutenant Governor Patrick says the bathroom bill is a public safety issue. Weaver says a lot of people know a transgender person — they just don’t know they do.