Exclusive: largest data analysis of its kind counters Trump’s aggressive efforts to deny trans minors’ existence
More than 2.8 million people now identify as transgender in the US, including an estimated 724,000 youth, according to a new data analysis that is the largest of its kind to date.
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Williams Institute used federal surveys and data from state health agencies to identify the size and demographics of the trans population in each state.
The analysis, shared with the Guardian and released on Wednesday, documented thousands of trans youth living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The findings counter Donald Trump’s aggressive efforts to deny the existence of trans minors, as his administration removes references to trans people across federal agencies and widely erodes protections and programs for LGBTQ+ communities.
How hard was it to move?
It has not been easy and I can’t deny my privilege, if we’re to be honest. I’ve moved on a student residency permit which requires me to prove I can financially survive the entire time. I’ve saved enough from working in tech to (probably) pay for the full 30 months tuition and living expenses.
I sold, donated, and trashed everything I owned except what could fit in a backpack and two suitcases. I’ve left my family, friends, partners, and a well paying job. I’m alone and scared and I’ve never been more stressed in my life. I can’t speak or read Swedish well at all and it makes everything more complicated and I get embarrassed about it.
The legal process was in the works for nearly a year making sure I was lining everything up correctly. It could have been done much faster but I was also in the middle of recovering from a major surgery and going through a divorce.
Now that I’m here I had to get biometrics done to get issued an official residency permit card, I took that and a bunch of other stuff to apply for a personnummer and ID card. It took a couple weeks to get the permit and the ID card will be over a month. Then I can take that card and get a Bank ID. Without a personnummer or Bank ID I basically only exist as a ghost. I can’t get a bank account, be on a real phone plan, get proper medical, hell I can’t even sign up for a grocery store membership. I don’t know how I’m going to pay rent because they want me to wire the money, my bank only does international wires over the phone, and my prepaid phone plan can’t do international calls.
I’m in a bureaucratic nightmare for an indefinite amount of time while I watch my savings evaporate. So far it’s worth it though. I feel safe here, the people are kind, I can see myself one day feeling at home in a way I never saw while I lived in the US.
Well done for putting in all the work to improve your life, it’s not easy but it’ll all be worth it
That’s a very tough situation. You’re right that you can’t do much without a BankID these days.
You can always get proper medical aid. Though as a non EU citizen you’ll have to pay full price for your visit and potential medication.
But you should be able to open a bank account despite not having a personnummer. Assuming you have a valid US Passport, it should be possible. You’ll have to visit a bank in person and bring your passport and explain why you need a bank account and how you intend to use it. Explaining that you are a student here and need to transfer forgein funds from your american bank in order to be able to pay for expenses should be a valid reason.
I was under the impression I needed a personnummer for the bank account? It’s worth a shot with my passport at least; being able to transfer funds here would save me so much headache and fear of the USD collapsing. Might make that my quest when I wake up find a bank nearby
I’m not going to say I know exactly how the process is made. But I know forgeiners can open bank accounts without having a Swedish personnummer. Provided you have a good reason to do so. E.g. employment as the classic example. But being a student should also be a good reason.
In essence. They just want to make sure you’re not laundering money. That is their biggest concern.
Also, I would recommend that you take it easy at first on your transfers. I don’t know if the Swedish bank can handle dollars or if they will automatically exchange it to SEK, but it’s currently semi-stable at about ~9.6SEK per USD, coming down from an all time high of ~11SEK per USD at the start of the year. Make of that as you will. But it’s worth keeping in mind to decide when and how much you want to transfer at a time.