Just Read: Room For Change – Levels of Discrimination in Retail Stores Based on Gender Identity and Race

This is a novel study performed by Washington, DC’s Equal Rights Center (@EqualRightsCntr) looking at the treatment of people across the gender spectrum in areas outside of bathrooms – actual life. While laws (and Washington, DC’s are the strongest) are somewhat protective, they don’t ensure equal treatment. Which means, that they are still needed, as is enforcement.

Out of 60 in-person tests conducted across D.C., Maryland and Virginia, 75 percent of gender identity testers experienced adverse, differential treatment compared to their cis-gendered counterparts. Adverse differential treatment included differences in quality, quantity or content of services provided to the testers.

Similarly, of the 60 tests, 40 percent of gender identity testers experienced a negative interaction, including but not limited to verbal harassment, rude service, refusal to assist and being followed by an employee or security.

It was great for me to have a conversation with community leaders about the study and learn so much more about what it means to be yourself in society today. And let us not forget, diversity is what allows the human species to survive 🙂 .

Ted Eytan, MD