Majorities in 10 countries 'support legal protection for trans rights'

A series of reports from the Williams Institute at the University of California has found the majority of people in the US, China, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, Malaysia, South Africa, Turkey, Serbia and Poland support the notion of non-discrimination policies for trans people and the right to genderaffirming surgery.

Mexico showed the highest percentage (83%) of participants who supported non-discrimination policies for trans people, with an additional 67% of Mexican respondents saying they want their government to do more to support trans citizens. In the US, 71% said that they believe the country is becoming more accepting of the trans community, with the same percentage saying that trans people should be allowed access to gender-affirming surgery.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, 58% showed support for trans people having access to gender-affirming surgery, with a further 20% saying that they know somebody who identifies as transgender. Sixty-one per cent of Polish respondents agreed that trans people should be able to update their IDs to reflect their gender identity, with respondents under 35 being less likely to show support for improved accessibility to surgery.

Ari Shaw, director of international programmes at the Williams Institute, described the reports as “promising”, adding: “There is a great deal of variability in socio-political climates among countries around the world, which may contribute to variations in attitudes toward transgender people and their rights. While attitudes vary between nations and among different populations within a country, the overall support for nondiscrimination protections is a promising finding.”

To see the reports, visit: https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla. edu/?s=Public+Opinion&post_type=publications