Transgender Rights

We're reflecting upon outstanding trans women entrepreneurs as we also mark this year's Transgender Day of Remembrance. (Credit: Vermont Public) We’re living through a critical moment in the fight to preserve rights for transgender people. Throughout the United States, trans individuals and allies have been rallying against what the Human Rights Campaign calls an “unprecedented onslaught” of bigoted legislative proposals. In 2025 alone, over 1,000 anti-transgender bills have been introduced throughout the U.S., with federal-level politicians like Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina leading the charge. Hateful rhetoric against trans individuals is also ever-present. High-profile people such as once-beloved author J.K. Rowling and swimmer turned pundit Riley Gaines regularly post on social media in disparaging, harmful ways about transgender individuals. (Rowling also donates heavily to anti-trans causes.) Comedian Dave Chappelle continues to mock trans people for cheap laughs. Indeed, now is an especially harrowing time. But then, it’s never been easy for trans people to navigate life in America – or to make a living. A 2021 McKinsey report states that trans workers are twice as likely to be unemployed as their cisgender counterparts, and stand to make roughly 32% less in salary. Over half of the trans people surveyed expressed discomfort with being out at work, and two-thirds of trans respondents admit to concealing their identities in professional contexts. It’s not just about their livelihoods, though – it’s about their very lives, as trans people are also far more likely than cisgender folks to die by homicide or suicide. And this is what Transgender Day of Remembrance is about: Remembering those who have lost their lives to this particular form of hatred. In 2025, 58 transgender people were killed out of transphobia – that we know of. That’s why we’re taking some time today to honor seven trans women who are still with us, who have built intriguing businesses and nonprofits in a variety of industries – founders who, despite the world they live in, are creating, building and thriving. (This article, originally published March 14, 2023, has been updated for 2025.)

Transgender Rights

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