Part 2: Violence Against Transgender Community

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In this second part of a special report – Being Transgender in the Northland – FOX 21’s Dan Hanger examines the startling rise attempted suicides, discrimination and even violence against transgender people.

“It’s a scary thing to go against the stream,” explained Sean Hayes, a transgender man from Duluth.

Transgender people are facing record levels of discrimination and violence.

“That was something somebody had said to me — are you worried about losing your job or finding employment because there are places that discriminate based off of your trans status,” Sean said.

Sean, 28, was reluctant to come out less than a year ago as a trans man.

“Because it’s not really an accepted type of lifestyle or choice that most people understand,” Sean said. “Scared of losing relationships and losing people who wouldn’t agree with my choice to transition.”

Ninety percent of transgender people report experiencing harassment, mistreatment or discrimination on the job, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality and GLAAD.

The unemployment rate is twice that of the general public and trans people are four times more like to live in poverty, according to NCTE.

“When I hear the statistics about suicide or I hear of another person – another one of my friends dying. I just think of how we have all failed them,” said Nathalie Crowley, 36, a transgender woman in Duluth.

According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, a startling 41 percent of trans men and women reported attempting suicide.

Compare that to 10 to 20 percent for lesbian, gay or bisexual respondents of the survey.

And compare that to 4.6 percent of the overall U.S. population who’ve attempted to kill themselves.

“As a society, we’ve let these people down. We’ve let our trans brothers and sisters down by not offering them the help that they need, and by not offering things to them like medical care, housing,” Nathalie explained.

Meanwhile, there are emergency discussions happening at the nation’s capital involving alarming violence against the transgender community.

“These are hate crimes,” explained Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) who is fighting for better protection of the transgender community.

So far in 2015, and all-time record of at least 22 transgender people have been murdered – including 19 transgender women of color.

“These have been horrible, horrible crimes,” Franken told FOX 21’s Dan Hanger.

Sen. Franken is calling on the nation’s top law enforcement officials to take action and work with state and local authorities to crack down on crimes targeting the trans community.

“So we can get a better handle on what’s happening, because there are so many cities that don’t report. And we have reason to believe there is more of this happening than we know. They have the same rights as everybody else — to be protected,” Franken said.

And that’s why Sean and Nathalie are stepping out in front of the camera with the hopes of empowering anyone struggling with their internal identity to embrace their authentic self.

“If I can reach one person through doing this interview, that’s worth it,” Sean said.

Whether that’s your gender, your job, if it’s your major in college — you really should listen to yourself and go ahead and make that decision now.”

Coming up Friday on FOX 21 News at 9, you’ll hear about the positive advocacy work that’s paying off for Sean and Nathalie.

You will also learn how UW-Superior is making its campus culture more inclusive, especially for the transgender community.

To reach the Duluth “Trans+” group that meets every month, e-mail: Transplusmn@gmail.com

Transgender resources can be found on GLAAD’s Web site.