‘Hostile’ anti-trans environment in UK deterring trans people from healthcare

Ninety-nine per cent of trans people in the UK told non-profit TransActual that anti-trans coverage by right-wing media outlets had harmed their metal health in some capacity.

Nearly all of the 4,008 people surveyed as part of the Trans Lives 2025 report said they had seen or heard a politician express transphobic sentiments, which had impacted their mental health greatly.

Ninety-eight per cent of respondents, surveyed between December 2024 and January 2025, who said they had experienced transphobia from their own family members believe that anti-trans media coverage had affected their loved ones’ thinking on the community.

In total, 97 per cent of respondents have experienced some form of transphobia, with 84 per cent experiencing it in 2024 alone.

The most common sources were through online harassment (82 per cent), strangers on the street (71 per cent), and from family members (80 per cent). Nearly 2,000 respondents say they had faced transphobic comments or harassment while using public transport.