Transgender people whose identity documents match their gender identity have better mental health than those whose IDs do not match, according to a study by Drexel University researchers.
The study, which analyzed 22,286 responses to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, is the first in the country to examine the relationship between IDs and mental health. It was published in the Lancet Public Health Journal this month.
Among transgender people whose IDs did not match their gender presentation, a third experienced being denied access to services, harassment, or violence, or all three. IDs are required to access health care, housing, education, employment, immigration, travel, security clearances, social service applications and many more services and resources.
“Many people take for granted having identity documents that they can use in daily life without thinking about it too much,” said Ayden Scheim, an assistant professor in epidemiology and biostatistics in the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel and the lead author of the paper. “For trans people, if their ID conflicts with how they identify, they can be outed and subjected to stigma and discrimination.”