The Lion's Pride , Vol. 5 (Feb. 2016) | Page 32

incident occurred about twenty years ago, discrimination is still occurring against this minority. As the transgender community steps out from the shadows, necessary services such as healthcare have treated them differently based on their gender identity (how they perceive themselves and what they prefer to called) not matching with their assigned gender at birth (Human Rights Campaign, 2015b). In the United States, the transgender community receives unequal healthcare compared to the rest of the population. This includes discrimination by insurance companies, poorly trained healthcare professionals concerning transgender care, and a lack of legal protection both federally and statewide. Although most transgender individuals are not discriminated against as severely as Tyra Hunter was, many still receive unequal treatment from healthcare professionals. Many healthcare professionals are not sufficiently trained to care for the transgender community, regarding not only the process of transitioning, but general healthcare. The process of transitioning may include changing their name, dressing differently, taking hormones, or undergoing various surgeries. These surgeries may include breast augmentation or removal, altering the genitals, or facial bone reconstruction (National