According to a new report, the majority of trans and non-binary people feel they have been negatively impacted because of their identity
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY ZOAH
Zoah, an inclusive underwear brand, has released a report on the experiences of the trans+ population ahead of the release of their new binders. The report has revealed that almost three quarters of the community do not feel safe or confident living in the UK.
Made up of interviews and data from approximately 400 trans and non-binary people, the results showed 72% to feel unsafe in the UK. Compared to studies of the wider UK population, trans and non-binary people are 47% less likely to feel safe at school and 49% reported feeling being trans+ had negatively impacted a job application.
The majority of respondents have been living as trans or non-binary people for over five years. During this period, there has been a sharp rise in crime towards the trans+ community. These now make up 3% of all hate crimes in the UK and is three times the amount it was in 2012, when the UK government first started tracking these hate crimes.
Zoah created this report to better understand the needs of the trans+ community as they developed their new binders, which go on pre-sale today. Binders are used by a wide range of people, from cisgender women to trans men. For many, they are a vital part of their gender affirming care.
Founder of Zoah, Danielle St James, said: “At the end of 2023 we embarked on a programme of activity, as part of a grant awarded by Innovate UK, to develop a new range of products for trans men and non-binary masc individuals.”
“In order to do the project – and the community – justice we felt it was important to move beyond just the functional aspect of the products, and instead we focused on the impact that the right products can have on making the wearer feel safe and confident as they move through the world. This theme is particularly relevant against the backdrop of increasing hate and intolerance that our community has experienced over the past few years.”
One of the interviewees, Ollie, said: “Binders are essential to my existence, I have worn a binder almost everyday for the last three years. The relief that a binder provides from a sometimes relentless feeling of desperation and confusion, is hard to describe.”
On the report, Danielle added: ”These insights have the potential to inform and educate on a much wider scale, and we hope that those who need to better understand this underserved population will take the time to review its contents and use the findings to shape the way in which they support this community going forward.”
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