Transgender Individuals Experience High Rates of Food Insecurity in the United States

Author: Kaitlyn V. Andres, MS & MPH

July 14, 2026

 A food giveaway in San Diego where flags and banners let LGBT people know they are welcome there. [Image credit: Feeding San Diego]

Introduction

As acceptance and awareness increase, more adults in the United States (U.S.) are identifying as a member of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community--that is as something other than heterosexual and/or cisgender. According to a Gallup poll, about 9% of U.S. adults identify as LGBT which has just about doubled in the last 10 years.¹ The same poll found that about 1% of U.S. adults (or almost 3.5 million people) identify as transgender, meaning they identify as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth. Transgender individuals face many forms of discrimination and disparities in their daily lives, one of which is high rates of food insecurity.

Individuals or households are deemed food insecure when they do not have access to sufficient safe and nutritious food. Food insecurity is a multi-faceted issue that is influenced by both the affordability and accessibility of food. The density of grocery stores and the reliability of public transportation to get to those grocery stores varies by neighborhood, so food insecurity is largely tied to geographic area.²

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 13.7% of U.S. households reported food insecurity in 2024.³ On their website, the USDA breaks down rates of food insecurity by different household demographics including number of people, sex, race, and ethnicity. They do not, however, report rates based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Whether they had previously been included in these reports or not, they cannot currently be included per Executive Order 14168 from the Trump Administration, which directs government agencies to remove any mention of “gender ideology” from their policies, reports, or communications.⁴ Data is necessary to identify disparities and many lawmakers rely on data to make decisions on potential policies or resource allocation.⁵ 

While rates of food insecurity in transgender individuals in the U.S. are not well documented, especially not at the federal level, a combination of small available datasets and anecdotal evidence suggests the rates are significantly higher than the general population. Studies that have been conducted have found that anywhere from 44-79% of transgender participants had experienced food insecurity.^6,7 While this is a large range, these rates are far higher than the 13.7% the USDA reports for households in the U.S. There are a number of factors that explain this stark disparity.

Why is Food Insecurity a Problem for Transgender Individuals in Particular?

Issues with Identification

The 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) found that for 68% of transgender individuals, none of their forms of identification (driver’s license, passport, etc.) matched their name and gender of preference.⁸ The U.S.’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps qualifying individuals and families afford food. In order to receive benefits, applicants must provide identification to prove their residency and citizenship, among other things.⁹ About 40% of USTS respondents were eligible to receive SNAP benefits but only about 30% of those eligible were actually receiving benefits.¹⁰ Many transgender individuals have shared that they avoid situations such as applying for benefits because they fear discrimination or harassment. About one third of USTS respondents indicated that they had an experience where they showed an ID that did not match their gender expression and were subsequently denied benefits or experienced harassment or assault.⁸

Faith-Based Services

In 2022, a research team analyzed a database of food pantries to create a dataset of pantry characteristics. Of the food pantries across the 12 representative U.S. states that they reviewed, they identified that about two-thirds (63.2%) are operated by faith-based organizations.¹¹ While some faiths are accepting of LGBT people, not all are. A survey of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the southeast U.S. revealed some troubling experiences at faith-based food pantries.⁷ One person shared that in order to access services, they had to sit through a church service where the pastor “spoke against homosexuality”. Others said they were told they were “going to hell” or that they were “mentally challenged”. 

Compounding Disparities

While the discrimination that some transgender individuals encounter as they seek assistance exacerbates their experience of food insecurity, the broader disparities that the transgender community face are also large contributors. The 2015 USTS found that compared to the general population, transgender individuals are about 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty, and they have about 3 times the unemployment rate.⁸ These issues can affect a person’s ability to afford food, especially good quality, nutritious food. In the same survey, about a third of respondents indicated that they had issues with public transportation in the past year because they were transgender. A lack of reliable transportation can limit the number of options where a person can get their food.

Call to Action

• People who operate a food pantry associated with a faith-based organization should take steps to create a welcoming atmosphere for the LGBT community and advertise as such through signs or flags. Transgender people have reported they are most comfortable going to organizations that identify as LGBT friendly.⁷

• Those eligible to vote in the U.S. should ensure they are supporting and voting for elected officials who will defend the rights of LGBT individuals, ensure they are represented in data collection, and oppose measures that make accessing resources more difficult for them.

• During Pride Month we also recognize the importance of opportunities to advocate for increased respect and acceptance of members of the LGBT community so they can participate in everyday life without fear of discrimination. 

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Glossary

• Anecdotal evidence- stories that people share about experiences they have had. These stories are not collected as part of a research study but rather shared informally in person or online.

• Disparities- a noticeable and significant difference in the experiences people have or the conditions in which they live.

• Food Insecurity- a term used to describe conditions where people do not have access to adequate safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development.

• Multi-faceted issue- a complicated issue that has more than one thing contributing to it.

• Transgender- refers to a person whose gender identity is different from the sex that they were assigned at birth.

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References

1. Jones JM. LGBTQ+ Identification Holds at 9% in U.S. Gallup. February 16, 2026. Accessed June 10, 2026. https://news.gallup.com/poll/702206/lgbtq-identification-holds.aspx

2. Odoms-Young A, Brown AGM, Agurs-Collins T, Glanz K. Food insecurity, neighborhood food environment, and health disparities: state of the science, research gaps and opportunities. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024;119(3):850-861. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.019

3. Hales LJ, Reed-Jones M. Food Security in the U.S. - Key Statistics & Graphics | Economic Research Service. March 30, 2026. Accessed June 10, 2026. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics

4. Trump DJ. Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government .; 2025.

5. Pillai D, Hill L, Artiga S. Disappearing Federal Data: Implications for Addressing Health Disparities. Kaiser Family Foundation. September 23, 2025. Accessed June 18, 2026. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/disappearing-federal-data-implications-for-addressing-health-disparities/

6. Zubizarreta D, Wirtz AL, Humes E, et al. Food Insecurity Is High in a Multi-Site Cohort of Transgender Women Vulnerable to or Living with HIV in the Eastern and Southern United States: Baseline Findings from the LITE Cohort. Nutrients. 2024;16(5). doi:10.3390/nu16050707

7. Russomanno J, Jabson Tree JM. Food insecurity and food pantry use among transgender and gender non-conforming people in the Southeast United States. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):590. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-08684-8

8. James SE, Herman JL, Rankin S, Keisling M, Mottet L, Anafi M. The Report of the 2015 U.S.   Transgender Survey . National Center for Transgender Equality; 2016:302.

9. United States Department of Agriculture. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Food and Nutrition Administration. March 12, 2026. Accessed June 18, 2026. https://www.fna.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program

10. Linsenmeyer W, Chrusciel T, Schier H, Hollinger R, Sherman A. Transgender and gender diverse adults are under-enrolled in food assistance programmes and report negative experiences when accessing benefits: an analysis of the US Transgender Survey. Public Health Nutr. 2025;29(1):e7. doi:10.1017/S1368980025101614

11. Riediger ND, Dahl L, Biradar RA, Mudryj AN, Torabi M. A descriptive analysis of food pantries in twelve American states: hours of operation, faith-based affiliation, and location. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):525. doi:10.1186/s12889-022-12847-0