Programs

Over the course of the pandemic, social and economic inequities have become more pronounced for already marginalized groups, leading to growing food and housing insecurity, unemployment or loss of wages, and the inability to access other necessary services among trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people. Prior to the spring 2020, in pre-pandemic times, TGNC Southerners were more likely to report chronic mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, than their cisgender and gender conforming peers. These disparities have often been linked to increased experiences of minority stress, or the stigma and discrimination that is targeted at transgender people. A common intervention for transgender people experiencing minority stress is social support. In times of crisis, physical and mental health conditions are often exacerbated by the increase of situational stressors and the interruption of access to traditional and community support services. 

Between August 1, 2020 and February 1 2021, 2732 LGBTQ Southerners (1079 of whom identified as transgender or non-binary) completed an online survey aimed at understanding the early impact of the pandemic on their experiences at home, at work, and in their communities. 

In our sample of LGBTQ Southerners, trans and non-binary people were more likely to be essential workers than cisgender respondents.  Simultaneously, trans men and trans women were more likely to be furloughed or laid off during the pandemic than non-binary and cisgender participants.  These experiences affected participants’ ability to pay for housing, groceries, and other essential needs.