The study estimated that about 16.4 million people over the age of 13 in the US consider themselves to be transgender. They believe that they feel different from the gender identity they were given at birth.
The higher percentage among youth
It is estimated that 0.5 percent of all American adults, or about 1.3 million people, consider themselves to be transgender. At the same time, 1.4 percent, or about three lakh people, in the age group of 13 to 17 years, consider themselves to be transgender.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School. They found that the number and percentage of adults who consider themselves to be transgender is about the same as in 2016 and 2017. For this study, data collected from surveys conducted by the US CDC Institute of Health between 2017 and 2020 was used.
Jody L. Herman, one of the study’s authors, says the report shows that trans people live everywhere and there is a need to listen to their needs and concerns and formulate policies for them.
The researchers themselves pointed out that the CDC’s data has some limitations, but its results are similar to those of earlier surveys. One problem is, of course, that the language used by the CDC in some of the questions is not ideal.
For example, the CDC asked transgender people whether they considered themselves “male to female” or “female to male”. Some trans people oppose this terminology. It was described as a very rude way to understand a very sensitive subject. The US Census Bureau is now looking to conduct a larger study to find out the best ways to inquire about gender identity and sexual orientation.
