“The Report of the 2018 Southern Trans Health Focus Group Project” documents the findings of a community-based research project through which diverse transgender Southerners across six states shared in-depth accounts of their experiences related to health issues and accessing health care.
According to 2016 data published by the Williams Institute at the U.C.L.A. School of Law, approximately 500,000 transgender people live in the South. Nationally, data shows that approximately 25 percent of transgender people do not seek health care at all because of a fear of discrimination – but to date there has been remarkably limited research about the health experiences of transgender people in the South.
Key findings of the research include:
- Many transgender Southerners report experiencing barriers in accessing basic services and in being treated with respect and dignity in medical settings.
- Factors including race, age, and living in a rural community increase the likelihood that transgender Southerners will experience hostility or other significant barriers when seeking care.
- Transgender Southerners report that having access to strong networks of peer support contribute to feeling empowered to seek health care and to advocate for their needs and rights in health care settings.
Recommended Citation: Johnson, A.H, I. Gibson-Hill, and J. Beach-Ferrara. 2018. ‘The Report of the 2018 Southern Trans Health Focus Group Project.” Campaign for Southern Equality: Asheville, NC.
Research Published in the International Journal of Transgenderism
In December 2019 the International Journal of Transgenderism, a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal centered on transgender people and experiences, published an article by Dr. Austin H. Johnson, Ivy Hill, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Baker A. Rogers, and Andrew Bradford capturing the findings of the 2018 Southern Trans Health Focus Group Project.
Watch the Webinar About the Report
The Campaign for Southern Equality hosted a webinar to share the findings of the Executive Report with advocates, health care providers, and community members on January 30, 2019. Watch the webinar below, and click here to watch the webinar in Spanish:
News About the Project
The Advocate: “The Lack of Trans-Friendly Doctors in the South Is an Injustice”
In an oped for The Advocate, Ivy Hill shares information about the Southern Trans Health Focus Group Project and how trans Southerners can get the care they need.
Mountain XPress News: “Report Examines Disparities in Trans Population”
This in-depth piece from the Asheville publication features interviews from Ivy Hill, Dr. Austin Johnson, and Scott Parker from WNCCHS, a collaborator on the project and report.
WUNC: “How Can Transgender Southerners Get Better Healthcare?”
In this 30-minute segment, The State of Things explores the findings of the report, interviewing Dr. Austin Johnson, Dr. Jennifer Abbott, and Kayla Gore.
Additional Resources
Project Launch Press Release
Read the full release from December 2018 spotlighting the findings – both hopeful and alarming – of the Focus Group project.
Explore the Trans in the South Guide
This guide, produced by the Campaign for Southern Equality, is a directory of more than 450+ trans-friendly providers in a variety of areas, from legal to health, in 13 Southern states.
Southern LGBTQ Health Survey
The 2019 Southern LGBTQ Health Survey includes responses from more than 5,600 Southern LGBTQ people, one of the largest samples ever of LGBTQ Southerners talking specifically about their health.
