discrimination prohibition. Still, it is unlikely all courts will rule in this way. HRC is fully committed to passing federal and state non-discrimination laws that ensure there is no ambiguity for transgender employees facing discrimination in the workplace. In the majority of states, it is still legal to fire someone from his or her job simply for being transgender. Throughout history and across cultures, people have expressed themselves in ways that we might consider transgender. Some Native American cultures identify “two-spirited� people as a revered class. According to some estimates, 0.25 to 1 percent of the U.S. population is transsexual. But the actual percentage of those who identify under the broader transgender identity is thought to be much higher.
Photo: John Healey
Transgender non-discrimination protections in colleges and universities are on the rise, with more and more focus on full protection among institutions of higher learning for students, faculty and staff, including all eight Ivy League institutions. Many colleges and universities now offer gender-neutral housing options for students living on campus.