This app for transgender people connects them to places that don’t discriminate and it’s pretty cool
It is no secret that transgender and gender non-binary people face a higher level of discrimination in nearly every aspect of life. There have been countless reports of our transgender brothers and sisters being refused medical care and denied the opportunity to rent or own homes or even use a bathroom that corresponds to their gender. Luckily, Kris Marquis, a trans woman and software developer, is determined to change all that with her new app for transgender individuals. According to the Office of Victims and Crimes, an overwhelming 53 percent of trans people have reported being harassed in public places and those rates are often so much higher for trans people of color.
The sad truth is, transgender individuals have a much more difficult time when it comes to searching for transgender-friendly places to hangout, simple services like legal aid or even a therapist that accepts transgender or non-binary people. Transgender and non-binary people are forced to asked themselves one extra question that others may overlook or take for granted: will they discriminate against me?
For this very reason, the trans community has relied heavily on personal recommendations through word-of-mouth but that too has its drawbacks. Because there are so many trans people who’ve felt isolated for different reasons, those who are not out and a part of the community are left to figure it out on their own.
With this in mind, Marquis is attempting to create Genderis. She told The Daily Dot in an exclusive interview, “Genderis will “provide people with a modern directory of the right doctors, therapists, estheticians, a full suite of services and professionals who are compassionate and trans-friendly.”
While speaking to The Daily Dot about her hopes for the app, Marquis also had this to say, “You know, there are a couple other sites that are doing similar things, but not with the same scope. If we get the funding we need [Marquis has been funding the app herself to launch the Bay Area pilot], we can keep adding to things. There’s a lot I want to do around answering the question of why gender identity is a thing.”
Staggering stats on risks of violence to transgender youth at @BCSTH annual training forum. @KelownaShelter #endingabusebuildinghope pic.twitter.com/HwcLQRZQRG
— Karen Mason (@Kmason10) October 27, 2016
"My whole life I’ve been asking therapists, 'Why am I like this? What’s made me like this?' There’s headway and research that’s been made about where this all comes from. But from my perspective, I want to leverage the user base and the data to find patterns and assess those patterns, and to see if there’s commonality, and where the indicators are throughout our lives that could possibly contribute to this, and to understand where this comes from," she added.
Marquis clearly knows firsthand how difficult navigating the health care system can be and so we’re glad she stepped up to the plate to take matters into her own hands. She’s not only solving her own problems but providing a lifeline to the transgender community as a whole. The app can be expected around December or January, depending on whether she can secure additional funding soon. We’ll be waiting for it.
