Transgender Awareness Week
A study was conducted by the Williams Institute in June 2016 and concluded that 0.6% of the U.S. population (1.4 million) identify themselves as transgender. Trans people face many issues within their community that causes them to feel like they are in danger and are unsafe. A survey found that 50% of trans people claim to have been raped or assaulted by a romantic partner. Trans people have been murdered simply for being trans, in addition to their loved ones and/or friends because of being involved with them. Some trans women were arrested for fighting back against their attacker. Trans women and supporters formerly united with one another and took stands against discrimination towards trans people by holding riots. Transgender Awareness Week established in response to these killings and imprisonments in order to highlight the challenges faced by trans people.
Media and LGBTQ youth of colour in the United States
Laverne Cox’s Emmy-winning documentary, "The T Word", focuses on the transgender community. The documentary examines the lives of seven teens and young adults who identify as transgender, sharing their experiences and daily struggles and focusing on campus bullying, attempts to change gender pronouns, family issues, relationships and sex. A second documentary examines the problem of youth homelessness in the LGBT community. About 500,000 youth experience homelessness, and 200,000 identify as part of the LGBT community; over 70 percent of homeless LGBT youth are people of colour. The documentary follows Beniah, Noel, Giovanno, Benjamin, Danielle and Zaykeem over and 18-month period; Noel and Danielle are women.