900 transsexuals in the Netherlands

On 31 December 2009, there were 900 transsexuals in the Netherlands; 850 of them were included in the 15-65 age category (potential labour force). The proportion of transsexuals in the 15 to 65-year-old population was less than 0.0  percent.

More trans women than trans men

Among the 850 transsexuals in the Netherlands, 62 percent are trans women and 38 percent are trans men. For the most part, transsexuals are middle-aged native Dutch.

Oddly enough, the proportion of people with a non-western background among transsexuals is higher than in the entire 15 to 64-year-old population. This is possibly due to the high level of medical care facilities in the Netherlands relative to many other countries. One of the reasons is possibly the high level of health care facilities in the Netherlands, which triggers more people with a non-western background to come to the Netherlands to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

Transsexuals and 15 to 64-year-olds by gender, age and ethnic background, 31 December 2009

Two thirds of transsexuals are unmarried and 16 percent are divorced. Trans women are more often divorced than trans men. As a result, the proportion of transsexuals – and trans women in particular – living in single-person households is higher than the average in the 15 to 64-year-old population.

Transsexuals and 15 to 64-year-olds by marital status and household composition, 31 December 2009

Relatively many low incomes

Although over 40 percent of transsexuals are highly educated, nearly three quarters live on low disposable household incomes. This is partly caused by the fact that more than half of them live alone and for one third a benefit is their main source of income; cf. in the 15 to 64-year-old population, one quarter are highly educated and 40 percent live on low incomes. The difference is partly due to fact that only one in five of all 15 to 64-year-olds live alone and for only one in ten a benefit is their main source of income.

Marleen Geerdinck, Linda Muller and Carlijn Verkleij