National Center for Transgender Equality
Encyclopedia
The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a nonprofit social justice
organization, founded in 2003 by transgender
activist Mara Keisling
. NCTE is dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people by providing a voice for advocacy in Washington, D.C.
The organization works to strengthen the transgender movement and individual investment in the movement by highlighting opportunities for coalition building and providing technical assistance and training to transgender people and allies with the goal of empowering state and local advocates.
to change their policy in a similar way. NCTE also advocates repealing the REAL ID Act
, which imposes federal standards on state driver licenses and ID cards, and amending the Model Vital Statistics Act, which applies to birth certificates.
launched a comprehensive national survey of discrimination against transgender people. Over 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming people, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, responded to the survey. Preliminary findings were released in November 2009, focused mostly on employment disparities. Full findings were released in 2011, describing the discrimination transgender people face in education, employment, health care, housing, public accommodations, police and prisons, documentation, and family life, and outlining policy priorities. This is the first large-scale study of its kind, and both verified anecdotal information about the lives of transgender people and provided stunning new information, especially related to the far more extreme discrimination faced by transgender people of color and the high rate of attempted suicide in the transgender population. It has already begun to inform federal policy making.
and the Council for Global Equality, as well as prominent trans figures like Shannon Minter
from the National Center for Lesbian Rights
and Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Center
. At the 2011 lobby day, NCTE honored Representative Tammy Baldwin
for her dedication to advancing transgender equality.
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
organization, founded in 2003 by transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
activist Mara Keisling
Mara Keisling
Mara Keisling is a transgender rights activist and founding executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, based in Washington, DC...
. NCTE is dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people by providing a voice for advocacy in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Mission
NCTE's mission statement reads,Activities
NCTE monitors federal activity and communicates this activity to transgender people and allies around the country. NCTE educates members of Congress on issues that impact transgender communities and provides a center of expertise on transgender issues.The organization works to strengthen the transgender movement and individual investment in the movement by highlighting opportunities for coalition building and providing technical assistance and training to transgender people and allies with the goal of empowering state and local advocates.
Issues
NCTE works on any issues affecting transgender people, including:- discrimination in employment
- protections in public accommodation
- fair housingFair housingIn the United States, the fair housing policies date largely from the 1960s. Originally, the terms fair housing and open housing came from a political movement of the time to outlaw discrimination in the rental or purchase of homes and a broad range of other housing-related transactions, such as...
, including housing in homeless shelters according to gender identity - hate crimes and violence
- unequal treatment and sexual violence in the criminal justice system
- disrespect and outing during intrusive TSATransportation Security AdministrationThe Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
screening - limited access to health care and exclusionary health insurance policies
- military service and veterans health care
- bullyingSchool bullyingSchool bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in connection with education, either inside or outside of school. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeated over a period of time.In schools, bullying occurs in all areas...
and harassment in schools - limited access to sex-specific facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms
- privacy concerns related to medical and employment records
- exclusion from federal research surveys and the CensusUnited States CensusThe United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
Documentation
NCTE works to make it easier for transgender people to obtain accurate identity documentation, including birth certificates, Medicare cards, driver licenses, immigration documentation, and passports. In 2010, after years of effort by NCTE and many other LGBT groups, the State Department changed its policy to allow transgender people to change the gender on their passports without undergoing surgery. NCTE engaged with the State Department on revisions to this policy and educated the transgender community about the changes. NCTE is advocating with the Social Security AdministrationSocial Security Administration
The United States Social Security Administration is an independent agency of the United States federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits...
to change their policy in a similar way. NCTE also advocates repealing the REAL ID Act
REAL ID Act
The REAL ID Act of 2005, , was an Act of Congress that modified U.S. federal law pertaining to security, authentication, and issuance procedures standards for the state driver's licenses and identification cards, as well as various immigration issues pertaining to terrorism.The law set forth...
, which imposes federal standards on state driver licenses and ID cards, and amending the Model Vital Statistics Act, which applies to birth certificates.
National Transgender Discrimination Survey
In 2008, NCTE and the National Gay and Lesbian Task ForceNational Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country’s premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting...
launched a comprehensive national survey of discrimination against transgender people. Over 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming people, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, responded to the survey. Preliminary findings were released in November 2009, focused mostly on employment disparities. Full findings were released in 2011, describing the discrimination transgender people face in education, employment, health care, housing, public accommodations, police and prisons, documentation, and family life, and outlining policy priorities. This is the first large-scale study of its kind, and both verified anecdotal information about the lives of transgender people and provided stunning new information, especially related to the far more extreme discrimination faced by transgender people of color and the high rate of attempted suicide in the transgender population. It has already begun to inform federal policy making.
Annual Lobby Day
Each year NCTE sponsors a conference on transgender policy issues followed by a lobby day in which transgender people and allies from around the country visit their members of Congress to share their stories and talk about transgender issues. In the past, the conference has featured guests from organizations such as the White House Office of Public EngagementWhite House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
The Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States...
and the Council for Global Equality, as well as prominent trans figures like Shannon Minter
Shannon Minter
Shannon Price Minter is an American civil rights attorney and the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco....
from the National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Lesbian Rights
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national non-profit, public interest law firm that advocates for equitable public policies affecting the LGBT community, provides free legal assistance to LGBT clients and their legal advocates, and conducts community education on LGBT legal issues. It...
and Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Center
Transgender Law Center
The Transgender Law Center is a San Francisco-based civil rights organization advocating for transgender communities. They are California's first "fully staffed, state-wide transgender legal organization" and were initially a fiscally sponsored project of the National Center for Lesbian Rights...
. At the 2011 lobby day, NCTE honored Representative Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
for her dedication to advancing transgender equality.