Argument Against Transgender Police Profiling

When discussing injustices, it is pivotal--for the sake of true progressive social change--to include all oppressed groups into the dialogue. Transgender People tend to be heavily misrepresented and demonized. Because of transphobia, there

Criminal justice professionals can lower the controversy surrounding profiling in law enforcement by eliminating the practice altogether. There is more than enough meta-analysis data available to substantiate that the practice of profiling is discriminatory and violates an individual’s constitutional right to have access to equal protection. For most people, when we recognize anything that does not work we either get rid of it or attempt to fix it so that it is actually useful. The same philosophy has to be applied to racial profiling. If there is to be any solution to eliminating racial profiling there must be a proper balance between the constitutional safeguard of equal protection and police policies that use race appropriately (Jones, 2006).

Racial profiling in law enforcement is a despicable issue in the United States. This issue is a long standing & deeply troubling national problem despite claims that the United States has entered a “post” racial era. We are often told to rely on the police to protect us from harm and promote fairness & justice in our communities. This hasn’t been the easiest being that racial profiling has led countless people to live in fear-portraying entire

Racial profiling has been going on for a very long time, but is now a serious issue that cannot be overlooked anymore that needs the attention of police organizations and the citizens of society. Throughout history, disputes and tensions between law enforcement officials and communities of minorities have endured hostility and violence between each other. Racial profiling has become a “hot topic” for researchers as well as for politicians and by now it is

In the late 1950’s to mid-1960’s, the transgender community faced discrimination such as physical and verbal harassment, denial of social spaces, and alienation in the media. This matters to us today because transgender individuals are still existing and are a part of our human population today. The community is also still struggling to find their representation in the media and in society. The transgender community is still facing a wide array of types of discrimination, from nasty looks to denied access of education. Gender identity should not be taken into consideration when determining another person’s worthiness of respect.

Throughout history, minorities have always suffered from discrimination by other ethnic groups. This discrimination still occurs today, especially in the form of racial profiling. Racial profiling is the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed a crime of offense. This degradation of ordinary people is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with. This controversial practice that law enforcement are doing has certainly created sides to this discussion throughout the centuries. Whether racial profiling is a legitimate practice or not, it is still spurring turmoil on the streets, in the classroom, and through the media. While racial profiling may seem to be an acceptable way to promote public safety, it is ultimately ineffective and unconstitutional; therefore, we should seek to end racial profiling by government institutions.

Majority of transgender people will face some sort of discrimination in their lifetime whether it is through being rejected by their families, denied housing or finding employment. “Employment discrimination forces many to become involved in the street economy and in survival crime. Widespread bias and ignorance among law enforcement and other officials mean that transgender people are disproportionately subjected to arrest and, in turn, imprisonment.” (al, 2011)

These kind of people want to and will try to make someone’s life as hard as possible simply because they see this subject differently. The simple, daily task of using the bathroom is a breeze for any typical person. Unfortunately, this task comes across as a intimidating adversary to a trans person simply because one can be conflicted with which restroom to use. For many trans people, entering a gender-specific bathroom can be a source of stress and anxiety, because using the restroom can mean very real health and safety concerns. Harassment of trans people in and around gender-specific bathrooms can range from denial of use to police intervention to verbal threats and physical assault.

Also, a job stress comparison comparing the gay/lesbian officers who were “out” versus those that are “closeted.” There have been a few studies that have evaluated the order of gender, race, sexual orientation as it influences police stress. It would have been interesting to know whether the nontraditional officer would experience more or the same workplace stress and how much influence does sexual orientation play in determining those stressful situations (Fisher, 2013)? Also for the officers who decided to be vocal about their sexual orientation was there ever a fear of losing your job, not getting a job or not being recommended for promotions. Similar situations have been previously addressed like in the City of Dallas v. England, where there was a claim of employment discrimination based on the applicant’s same-sex orientation(City of Dallas v England, 1993). The study attempted to address the difference between friendly and fierce cops, as it relates sexual

The topic of race and racism has been prevalent throughout America’s history. Although we, as a country, have ended extreme racist practices, there still remains the discrimination of minority groups. This discrimination has more prevalently taken the form of racial profiling in today’s society. Many individuals racially profile others unconsciously because of the many stereotypes attached to certain ethnic groups. Additionally, racial profiling is mostly viewed as a practice commonly used by the police. The issue of racial profiling can be viewed from several different perspectives with many viewing it as a harassment on minorities while others see it as a necessary practice to keep the public safe. While police see racial profiling as having a positive effect on the public, it creates detrimental effects for the victims; therefore racial profiling must be heavily monitored.

As a gay, Hispanic female of color I have relevant experience to capture LGBTQ police officers that need services and experience bias. As a police officer and a veteran, I am at the forefront of the realities and consequences that confront members of those groups, and am therefore uniquely qualified to work with and advocate on their behalf. My goal is to explore ways in which biases, cultural history, stereotypes, systemic racism, and federal/state policies affect police-community interactions. A master’s degree in social work will expand my knowledge on such topics, and help me coordinate ways to train police officers in techniques that will help pacify negative encounters.

The highest rate of sexual abuse was reported by African-American transgender inmates at 34 percent. A high percentage of physical abuse against male to female (MTF) transgender inmates was at 21 percent and 11 percent of female to male (FTM) were reported. MTF also had higher incidents of sexual abuse of 20 percent to FTM reported at 6 percent (Grant, Mottet & Tanis, 2011). Another problem is non-staff correctional personnel treating transgender inmates unethically. Twenty-two percent experienced harassment when they interacted with police; 6 percent also reporting physical abuse and 2 percent reporting sexual abuse (Grant, Mottet & Tanis,

The relationship between the LGBTQ community and the police services has been filled with harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Although the number has decreased over the years, numerous individuals of the LGBTQ community are still reporting complaints of discrimination that are the cause of police misconduct, including verbal harassment, physical and sexual abuse.

Coming out as a transgender, identifying with a gender expression that differs from the assigned sex, has proven to be quite difficult through the ages. While the acceptance of transgender people has grown significantly higher throughout the years, people’s stance on them are still quite divided, and the uphill battle for transgender rights has proven this. Just giving transgenders the right to simply go to the bathroom they identify with has shown to be controversial according to the TIME cover Battle of the Bathroom. The TIME magazine makes sure to note the problem defiantly “far more than public facilities” (Scherer par. 9). Transgender rights are a problem that Jamison Green, president for World Professional Association for Transgender Health, thoroughly addresses in a report written by Alan Greenblatt for CQ Researcher. Jamison Green’s specific purpose in that report is to justify why transgender people deserve basic human rights like everybody else, as shown in society, through his use of facts, qualifiers, figurative language, counterarguments, and appeals to logic and values.

The criminal just system should view all people no matter what their race, gender, or social class is. In a world where Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people are being slandered, it is hard for them to get jobs because of their sexual preferences or how they identify. Gays and lesbians who choose to come out around “straight” people they work with will probably face at least some (if not much) discrimination. During work, “discrimination based on sexual orientation must not be tolerated in any form in modern law enforcement. Instead of prejudice and intolerance, police departments and chief executives should embrace a “Do Ask, Do Tell” attitude toward gays and lesbians (Winchell, 2008)”. They will go out of their way to cause harm either (physically/ mentally), professional humiliation, and the refusal of some heterosexual officers to work in close proximity with the LGBT officers. Instead of discriminating on others, officers should begin to judge based on the quality of their work and strength of character.