sophietransspace - Tumblr blog

[sophietransspace]

Transgender College Difficulties

Okay, so in order to be in the running for a transgender scholarship (I hope disclosing that doesn’t disqualify me, I just wanna be honest), I have been asked to speak on the difficulties that transgender students may face in affording and accessing college. At the end of this will be a link to the program.

One of the largest difficulties many students may face is disownment. Some students may have though their tuition would be covered by family, only for them to suddenly have the burden of needing to do it all by themselves. While I don’t personally suffer this issue, I know many students who do, and my heart really does go out to them.

Another issues that isn’t even exclusive to students is the cost of transition. Transitioning is expensive, incredibly so depending on how much surgery you want to have. I personally want some surgery, and I am looking at a minimum of 10 grand to actually do it. This is very stressful, and having to pay college in addition to this is mind boggling. College is already expensive, and if someone wants to have multiple procedures, combined with needing new clothes, possibly wanting things like laser, it is really stressful and hard to figure out where all of that money may come from.

Finding employment can also be incredibly stressful as well, which also increased the strain of paying for college. I know that me and at *least* a handful of other transgender students are so overwhelmed just managing our transitions and school at the same time that working on top of that would be a mental health nightmare. Mental health is incredibly important, so that has to come first, but at the quite literal cost of paying for college. Finding employment that is accepting and tolerant can also be nearly impossible depending on where someone lives as well. Living in the rural south while going to college and trying to openly be trans isn’t, I’m sure. Discrimination in addition to work, transitioning, and school is too much of a burden for anyone to need to bear.

That sums up just a few of the problems that transgender students face, thanks for reading!

https://www.onlinedegree.com/transgender-first-scholarship/?fbclid=IwAR19ZUXMdGePIIsOvgNeq0Oz_jY60FsFF-Z2x_nb8oGDslEF795oqKvDayI