Our District

the Trans Capital

More than 14,000 people in the District of Columbia are transgender and nonbinary.

This means we have more transgender and nonbinary people per capita than any state in the country. Four times the national average!

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We Protect Our People

DC leads the nation in protections for transgender and nonbinary people.

The District of Columbia Human Rights Ordinance of 1977 prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression in:

Adoption and Foster Care

Credit and Lending

Education

Employment

Health Insurance

Housing

Public Accommodations

Government Services

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We support our Communities

In addition to nondiscrimination protections, supportive Mayors and District Councilmembers over the years have collaborated with advocates and activists to put in place a variety of proactive policies that have brought us closer to realizing the vision of a District where all are welcome.

These policies include:

Ban on Conversion Therapy

Ban on Panic Defense

Identity Documents

Inclusive Curriculum

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The Data

2015 U.S. Transgender Survey Washington, DC Report

The U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) is an anonymous, online survey for binary and nonbinary trans people aged 16 and older in the United States conducted by the Advocates for Trans Equality Education Fund (formerly the National Center for Transgender Equality) and partner organizations, Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC), National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), and TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC).

The USTS is an important resource that provides much-needed information to help the public understand the lives and experiences of trans people in the United States, the patterns of discrimination many transgender people face, the disparities that many trans people experience, and the need for policy and social change to improve their lives.

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Access Denied: Washington, DC Trans Needs Assessment Report

The DC Trans Coalition (which ceased operations in 2021) and allied organizations organized a Washington, DC-area needs assessment study for transgender, transsexual and gender non-conforming populations living in the District of Columbia. Published in 2015, this was the first research project of its kind in over a decade.

Many trans folks in DC face particularly great challenges gaining access to employment, basic health care, housing and shelter. Our research explores and documents many issues facing members of the trans community, including:

General health and access to medical, mental and trans-sensitive health care
Employment, underemployment and unemployment
Housing and homelessness
Interactions with police and the broader criminal justice system, including in jails
Access to education, including violence in schools
Immigration and documentation status
Youth and elder-specific concerns

Documenting this information shows us what the greatest obstacles and issues facing trans folks are, allowing us to advocate more successfully for change with city officials, policy makers and organizations.

The project consisted of a series of community roundtable meetings, a follow-up survey, and a final written report of our findings.

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