There are an estimated 1.4 million transgender adults in the United States, representing 0.6% of the population. However, gender identity is complex, with individuals experiencing their identity in different ways and at various stages of life. While media portrayals of transgender individuals have improved in recent years, many challenges remain. Brands that authentically support transgender communities and causes important to them see business benefits, yet navigating issues of representation and inclusion requires nuanced understanding. Continued advocacy aims to push culture toward greater acceptance.

1. TRANSGENDER
The term transgender describes anyone who
lives their life identifying as and expressing
a different gender than the one assigned to
them at birth.1

2. THE UNITED STATES
CENSUS BUREAU
Doesn’t ask individuals to identify their
gender identity, so it provides little insight
into the transgender population.
2

3. transgender people living
in the UNITED STATES.3
1.4 MILLION
There are an
estimated

4. of adults aged
18-64 identified as
transgender.
0.6%
actually take steps
to transition from
one gender to
another.3
0.1-0.5%

5. States with the HIGHEST percentages
of adults identifying as transgender:4
HAWAII
CALIFORNIA
GEORGIA
NEW
MEXICO

6. Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the
same. Sexual orientation refers to an individual’s
enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional
attraction to another person, whereas gender identity
refers to one’s internal sense of being male, female, or
something else.5
GENDER IDENTITY AND
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
What does it mean?

7. People who transition often start by expressing
their preferred gender in situations where they
feel safe.
Every transgender person’s process or transition
differs. Because of this, many factors may
determine how the individual wishes to live and
express their gender identity.5
HOW DO PEOPLE MAKE
A GENDER TRANSITION?

8. HOW DOES SOMEONE
KNOW THAT THEY ARE
TRANSGENDER?
Transgender people experience their transgender
identity in a variety of ways and may become
aware of it at any age. Some can trace their
transgender identities and feelings back to their
earliest memories. They may have vague feelings
of “not fitting in” with people of their assigned
sex or specific wishes to be something other than
their assigned sex.
5

9. Children get cues early on from parents about
appropriate behavior, and internalize them. Kids of
this age start to get the idea that there is a part of
themselves that must remain hidden.
EARLY CHILDHOOD

10. PUBERTY
This is a particularly hard age, since the body
begins to change and adapt gender specific
features. Many trangender individuals are aware
of their gender discomfort by this age.

11. With emotional and financial independence
some people begin to address transgender
issues at this age and look into transitioning.
EARLY ADULTHOOD

12. LATER ADULTHOOD
Some transgender individuals put off
transitioning until later in life when they feel
able to do so. This can be satisfying. In addition
there can be regret about having lived so long
in an unwanted gender.
6

13. episodes and non-recurring
storylines of scripted
television were observed
that contained transgender
characters.
of those were categorized
as containing negative
representations at the
time of their airing.
7
MEDIA PORTRAYALS
102 54%
recorded since 2013

14. Caitlyn Jenner’s transition has had an
enormous and historic impact for not only
the Transgender community but the world. It
opened the discussion of Transgender issues
more so than ever before on a national scale.
8

15. The first season of Transparent, earned rave
reviews from critics, but, more impressively
and unexpectedly, became a conversation
starter for a dialogue that was long overdue
about the transgender community.
9

16. Laverne Cox, a transgender actress who
plays Sophia, on Netflix’s show Orange is
the New Black, has become a touchstone for
the transgender community. She claimed the
cover of a recent Time Magazine story about
the transgender civil rights movement.
10

17. NeuTRAL STYLE
FASHION
Being transgender can present some particular challenges when shopping for clothes. Some
companies such as Zara, Target, and J Crew have started to embrace and create gender-neutral
clothing, while others are specifically tailored to the transgender market.11

18. NiK Kacy, who identifies as genderfluid,
has always gravitated towards men’s shoe
styles. Kacy saw an oppertunity to create
gender-neutral shoes in a range of sizes.12
“Style should not be defined by gender”
Kacy launched a Kickstarter campaign in
February with a goal of raising $36,000
Ultimately receiving
$47,542

19. BATHROOM DEBATE
The debate around which bathrooms transgender
people should use has given rise to deeper
questioning of why we even have a norm of
gender segregation for bathrooms in the first
place.
Target said it will spend $20 million to add a
private bathroom to each of its stores by next
year, after customer protests of its policy allowing
transgender individuals to use whichever restroom
corresponds with their gender identity.
Most of Target’s 1,797 locations already have
single-occupancy or unisex restrooms, but it will
add the option to 277 stores by November and
to about 20 remaining stores by March 2017, the
company said on Wednesday.
14

21. BRANDs THAT CARE
are likely to consider a brand that supports nonprofits or
causes important to them.
81%
of LGBT consumers are brand affiliated and are highly
likely to seek out brands that advertise to them.
89%
are likely to consider a brand that is known to provide
equal workplace benefits to ALL of their employees.
16
92%

22. DO’S &
DONT’S
There are definite benefits for brands that support the
trasngender community. The challenge lies in being
authentic with consumers.
16

23. DO Recognize that LGBT people
come from all races, ages, ethnicities,
nationalities, incomes, political and
religious affiliations, professions,
physical abilities, and gender
expressions. Whenever possible,
incorporate such diversity into their
representations.
DO treat them as normal people...
because they are! Succeed with
transgender consumers, who are
moving more into the mainstream
every day, by focusing more on
their daily lives, financial and family
concerns, and less on their lifestyle.
DO be subtle and ambiguous
towards individuals, and
relationships, small gestures
including “partner” in place of
“husband/wife” for instance, go a
long way.

24. DONT “window dress” in
an attempt to be inclusive.
(ex. using models or actors to
portray a transgender person,
who may not actually be in real
life.)
DONT assume or insinuate
with visuals and language (ex.
“gay lifestyle” is frequently
heard however, the term carries
with it the notion that being
LGBT is merely a lifestyle choice
rather than an innate component
of one’s being, as well the
assumption that the entire
LGBT community is a monolithic
audience.)

25. Visibility, especially positive images of transgender
people in the media and society continue to make a
critical difference for transgenders. That is why the
Human Rights Campaign is committed to continuing to
support and advocate for the transgender community,
so that the transgender Americans who are and will
become your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family
members have an equal chance to succeed and thrive.15
PUSHING CULTURE INTO
GREATER ACCEPTANCE TRANSGENDERISM

26. 1. https://www.census.gov/srd/carra/15_03_Likely_Transgender_
Individuals_in_ARs_and_2010Census.pdf. (2016, October 24)
2. Marketing to the T: Brands get inclusive of transgender consumers in
LGBT marketing | PR Week. (2016, October 26).
3. http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-How-
Many-People-LGBT-Apr-2011.pdf. (2016, October 24).
4. 1.4 Million Adults Identify As Transgender In America, Study Says : The
Two-Way : NPR. (2016, October 24).
5. Answers to Your Questions About Transgender People, Gender
Identity, and Gender Expression. (2016, November 17).
6. “Basic Issues in Transgender Mental Health | Transgender Mental
Health,” 24 Oct. 2016.
7. GLAAD Examines Ten Years of Transgender Images on Television; More
than Half Were Negative or Defamatory | GLAAD. (2016, November 16).
8. The 5 Ad Campaigns That Have Redefined Beauty (So Far This Year) |
SELF. (2016, October 30).
9. “Transparent” Returns: The Great Power and Great Responsibility of
TV’s Best Show - The Daily Beast. (2016, November 13).
10. Laverne Cox and the State of Trans Representation in Pop Culture |
US News. (2016, November 10)
11. How can someone who is transgender shop for clothes in the
women’s clothing department/stores? - Quora. (2016, October 24).
12. These retailers are betting on transgender customers. (2016,
November 14).
13. State sex-segregated facilities legislation - Associated Press
Interactive. (2016, October 24).
14. Target Adds Private Bathrooms to Quell Transgender Debate - WSJ.
(2016, November 12)
15. Understanding the Transgender Community | Human Rights
Campaign. (2016, October 24).
16. http://www.independentagent.com/Resources/StaffDevelopment/
Diversity/SiteAssets/DiversityTrainingSeries/training-series-materials/
GLBT-Marketing-Guide.pdf. (2016, November 17).
CITATIONS

27. Frank Stewart, Ben Leary, Taylor Giordano
Fall Semester 2016
ADES 202 Concept & Communication and GDES 239 Graphic Design I
Vivian Owen and Jeff Bleitz Instructors