The science of transgender is the topic of the Omaha Science Café tomorrow night.
Dr. Sofia Jawed-Wessel, assistant director of the Midland Sexual Health Research Collaborative and Dr. Jay Irwin of UNO’s sociology and anthropology department will present together.
Irwin says the program comes out of questions that emerged at a number of science cafes centered on sexuality last year.
He says the first part of the talk will focus on the language used for transgender people including the words they use to describe themselves.
Irwin says they will also discuss the biggest issues facing transgender people including economic stability and appropriate healthcare.
"Every single study that’s out there shows transgender folks have higher rates of unemployment, lower salaries and more tenuous job circumstances. Some of that is because of lack of protection, some of that is because of both conscious and unconscious discrimination on the part of employers, but also long standing issues with discrimination that lead to less education sometimes.”
Irwin says in most states a person can be fired for being transgender because it’s not considered a protected class.
He also says if you live in a smaller town as a transgender person you may not have access to sensitive health care providers.
The Omaha Science Café takes place tomorrow evening at 7:00 at The Slowdown.