Community Challenges 2025
Released 1 Feb 2025
2024 Study: Measuring Public Sentiments and Challenges Faced by Singapore’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Community
The recent report by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Transbefrienders, and TransgenderSG uncovers significant challenges faced by Singapore’s transgender and gender-diverse community. Drawing on responses from 394 transgender and 407 cisgender people, this report is the most thorough inquiry to date into the lives of this marginalised group in Singapore.
This research is crucial as it updates and deepens our understanding of the systemic barriers and daily challenges faced by transgender individuals. It captures the voices of both transgender and cisgender participants, providing a comprehensive perspective on the community’s socio-cultural environment.
Key Findings of the MPSC Report
- Employment Discrimination and Barriers:
- Transgender people are four times more likely to be unemployed than the national average, with over 65% reporting negative experiences in the workplace related to their transgender status, such as harassment and verbal abuse.
- Barriers in Healthcare:
- Almost 50% of the community has avoided seeking reproductive and sexual healthcare services because of reported stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings.
- Obstacles in Education:
- Many transgender students face a hostile environment at school, with substantial reports of abuse and a significant lack of supportive policies.
- Legal Recognition:
- The process for changing legal gender markers is fraught with difficulties and inaccessible requirements, leaving 68% of respondents unable to meet the stringent criteria, impacting their daily lives and mental health.
- Public Perception:
- There is growing public support for more inclusive policies, although widespread misconceptions remain, highlighting the importance of continued advocacy and education.
The findings from the MPSC report underscore the need for collective efforts to ensure an inclusive environment that respects everyone’s dignity. This is a call to action for policymakers, community leaders, and the public to drive change and advance equality for the transgender community in Singapore.
Discover more about the study and how you can help by visiting the full report and supporting data. You can also view our press release and the media kit of the toplines.
Click here for the first version of the survey conducted in 2020.