Abstract
This paper discusses the way that trans women embody their transgender identity, focusing on identity questioning, gender dysphoria, clinical gatekeeping and medicalized narratives. Situated within the hermeneutics methodological approach, we adopted the unobtrusive research as our research method, where data was derived from online forums where trans women posted content about their perspectives and experiences of gender and gender transitioning. Thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. Our findings suggest that gender identity is embodied and socially negotiated. Many trans women were initially ambivalent about their transgender identity and some continued to question their desired identity throughout adulthood. When presenting to healthcare professionals many trans women reported being expected to adopt a ‘wrong body’ narrative in order to gain access to treatment and surgery for gender transitioning and affirmation. In doing so, trans women interact with significant others and health care providers, and face many challenges. These challenges must be understood so that trans women can perform self-determination practices as a way to achieve gender autonomy.
Highlights
The term transgender refers to individuals whose gender presentation differs from their sex assigned at birth
Three key themes were generated from the online forum: Questioning Identity, Gender Dysphoria (GD) and Ambiguity, and Gatekeeping and Medicalized Narratives of Transgender People: Blocking or Opening the Way
Transgender identity is often framed in popular culture and medical discourses as being ‘born in the wrong body’ or always knowing ‘that they were in some way different from everyone else’ [12]
Summary
The term transgender (trans) refers to individuals whose gender presentation differs from their sex assigned at birth. The term transgender includes diverse identities such as trans women, trans men, non-binary, gender queer, fa’afafine, brotherboy, sistergirl, two-spirited, gender fluid or gender-nonconforming [1,2]. Frameworks to understand transgender identity are often premised on antiquated theories based on gay and lesbian identity development [1]. Such theories propose that gay and lesbian people may feel initial anxiety or confusion and choose to remain “closeted”, before progressing to develop an actualized and fulfilled identity, where anxiety is replaced by pride [3,4]. Research with trans women has shown that gender transitioning and affirmation is generally a positive experience
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