The Transgender Tipping Point: An Overview for the Advocate

During the week of November 14-20, individuals and organizations around the country observe Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people and to address the issues these communities face. As part of that effort, ACS offers a new Issue Brief, “The Transgender Tipping Point: An Overview for the Advocate.” In this Issue Brief, Dr. Jillian T. Weiss surveys the laws affecting transgender people and offers guidance to advocates who are new to the issue.

While transgender people have historically been regarded as “strangers to the law,” recent progress has brought them out of the shadows and under the protection of several anti-discrimination laws. As Weiss details in this Issue Brief, transgender people are gaining protections against discrimination in the areas of employment, education, housing, health care, and marriage, among others. However, “the conservative nature of law means it will take years to change the legal regime that routinely withholds rights from transgender people.” For this reason, Weiss encourages progressive advocates to “act now to advance and consolidate these civil rights gains.” This Issue Brief provides helpful background and resources for progressive advocates to assist in expanding the legal protections for transgender people.

To read full issue brief here: The Transgender Tipping Point: An Overview for the Advocate

By Dr. Jillian T. Weiss