Majority of trans adults are happier after transitioning, survey finds

Washington Post and KFF study found 78% of respondents said living as different gender from birth increased satisfaction in life

A large majority of transgender adults say that transitioning has made them more satisfied with their life, according to a new survey.

The survey conducted by the Washington Post and KFF, a nonprofit focusing on health issues, is the largest nongovernmental survey of transgender adults that uses random samplings.

It asked more than 500 transgender adults questions around their childhood, family and other life experiences.

The questionnaire found that a majority of transgender adults are happier after transitioning, with 78% of respondents noting that living as a gender outside the one assigned at birth has increased their satisfaction in life, reported the Washington Post.

More than four out of 10 adults noted that they are “a lot more” satisfied.

“Living doesn’t hurt any more,” said TC Caldwell of Alabama to the Post. “It feels good to just breathe and be myself.”

While overall rates of life satisfaction among trans adults were lower than the general population, many survey participants said that was largely due to discrimination facing trans people.

“You always have that fear of what’s going to happen when you tell somebody you’re transgender, especially these days,” said Tim McCoy, a Syracuse resident. “That definitely affects one’s quality of life. It’s a constant stress.”

Trans adults reported day-to-day harassment, including at work or with a healthcare provider. About 25% of trans adults said they had faced physical assault due to their gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

An estimated six out of 10 have faced verbal harassment.

An estimated 1.6 million people above the age of 13 identify as transgender, according to a June 2022 study from the Williams Institute, a UCLA Law School thinktank focused on gender identity public policy.

The Post-KFF survey found that the majority of transgender adults, 62%, identify as non-binary versus only 33% identifying as a trans man or woman.

A majority of those surveyed said they were under the age of 18 when they knew their gender was different from the one assigned at birth. Some 32% said they understood their gender identity when they were 10 years old or younger, while 34% said they had the realization between the ages of 11 to 17.

But transgender adults were more likely to report not having a happy childhood, as 46% of trans adults reported having an unhappy childhood compared with 19% of the general population.

Many trans adults surveyed said they did not have a trusted adult they could talk to as children.

As children, school remained a significant stressor for many trans adults. More than four out of 10 survey participants said that they felt unsafe in school, and over 25% said they felt unsafe participating in sports and other extracurriculars.

In the US, Republican lawmakers have been introducing a number of bills targeting transgender rights particularly of children and within public schools.

The rights of transgender people to participate in school sports, access gender-affirming healthcare and use the bathroom of their choice have come under attack.

But despite the political climate, a majority of trans adults believe that public perceptions of trans people are changing. Fifty-five per cent reported that the US was more accepting of trans people than it was 10 years ago.