New report reveals rampant discrimination against transgender people by health providers, high HIV rates and widespread lack of access to necessary care

³My experiences in dealing with police and hospital personnel after my rape was not pleasant and lacked a lot of sensitivity to trans issues.² ‹ Survey Respondent

³Finding doctors who will treat, will prescribe, and will even look at you like a human being rather than a thing has been problematic. Have been denied care by doctors and major hospitals so much that I now use only urgent care physician assistants, and I never reveal my gender history.² ‹ Survey Respondent

³I have also had several bouts with depression and anxiety disorders and once ended up in the emergency room for depression. I still bounce in and out of depression due to not being able to get the appropriate surgical procedures.² ‹ Survey Respondent

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 ‹ Transgender and gender non-conforming people face rampant discrimination in health care settings, are regularly denied needed care, and experience a range of health risks because they are transgender or gender non-conforming, according to a report of more than 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming people. The National Transgender Discrimination Survey: Report on Health and Health Care was released nationally today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality .

Key findings include:

* Nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) reported being refused care outright because they were transgender or gender non-conforming.
*
* Survey participants reported very high levels of postponing medical care when sick or injured due to discrimination and disrespect (28 percent).
*
* Harassment: 28 percent of respondents were subjected to harassment in medical settings.
*
* Significant lack of provider knowledge: 50 percent of the sample reported having to teach their medical providers about transgender care.
*
* Despite barriers, the majority has accessed some form of transition-related medical care, but only a minority has had any surgery, despite the fact that a strong majority stated wanting to have it someday.
*
* Respondents reported more than four times the national average of HIV infection, 2.64 percent in our sample compared to 0.6 percent in the general population, with ...