Quinn Merriss, an 18-year-old who identifies as transgender and non-binary, barely makes ends meet. Merriss was kicked out of their home after years of tension and arguments with their parents over being transgender. They now live independently without any financial support from relatives, working as a server earning $5.50 an hour plus tips. “I’m living paycheck to paycheck,” Merriss, who lives in an apartment in Cincinnati, told CNN. They manage to scrape by thanks to a housing assistance program, Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Merriss’ plight illustrates the harsh economic realities of millions of Americans who identify as transgender and/or non-binary. The evidence from research and surveys is unmistakable: People whose gender identity does not match their sex at birth are more likely to experience financial hardships than the general population. (Some transgender people identify as “non-binary,” which means they don’t conform to one particular gender.)