Discrimination as a Form of Gender-Based Violence: Consequences of Sexist Stereotypes on the Transgender Community

Gender-based violence operates as a systemic mechanism for maintaining hierarchical social structures. The hetero-cis-sexist ideology at its core significantly impacts the everyday lives of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals, producing specific forms of discrimination, such as transmisogyny, pathologisation, and health disparities. In this context, the voices of TGNC people and activists are marginalized, and their knowledge is often downplayed. This paper examines some instances of oppression experienced by the trans and non-binary community as forms of gender-based violence. The analysis draws from literature, data collected through ten semi-structured interviews with non-binary activists in Italy, and my personal experience as an activist in a trans* association that provides trainings in high schools. The aim of this paper is to highlight harmful prejudices faced by TGNC people, emphasizing how the educational system can contribute to dismantling these stereotypes by learning from queer experiences and allying with activists.