National Center for Transgender Equality



The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization, founded in 2003 by transgender activist, Mara Keisling. NCTE is dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment.

The organization monitors federal activity and communicates this activity to transgender people and allies around the country. NCTE educates members of Congress on issues that impact transgender communities.

The organization also works to strengthen the transgender movement and individual investment in the movement by highlighting opportunities for coalition building, promoting available resources, and providing technical assistance and training to transpeople and allies. The organization maintains a federal transgender activists’ network.

NCTE works on any issues affecting transgender people, including but not limited to: discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations; hate crimes and harassment; difficulty in obtaining accurate identity documentation, such as driver's licenses and Social Security cards; limited access to health care and exclusionary health insurance policies; unequal treatment in the criminal justice system; limited access to sex-specific facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms; housing in homeless shelters according to birth sex, rather than gender identity and expression; discriminatory immigration policies; harassment in schools; and privacy concerns related to medical and employment records.