John Oliver on the Challenges of Being Transgender (Video)

In the last few years, LGBT rights have advanced greatly in America; however, most of the benefits have gone to the Ls, Gs, and Bs. Far fewer have gone to the Ts. For instance, among the many states that have amended their non-discrimination laws, more have included sexual orientation than gender identity. Such disparities are likely a big part of the reason why trans individuals face higher rates of harassment and violence.

In a recent segment from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Oliver takes an in-depth look at the current state of transgender rights in America. He points out that, indeed, 2015 was a big year for the trans community in many ways, from Caitlin Jenner appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair to all of the awards lavished on the television series Transparent—however, Oliver rightfully notes that these are not reasons to get complacent about transgender equality. There’s still a lot more work to be done.

I didn’t see this segment when it originally aired, so I realize that some of you may have already come across it. If you haven’t, though, it’s definitely well worth your time.

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