Examining the prevalence of trans phantoms among transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse individuals: An exploratory study

Abstract

Background Trans phantoms are bodily sensations of gendered body parts that a person was not born with (i.e., a phantom penis experienced by a trans man, or a phantom vagina experienced by a trans woman). This is distinct from the experience of many transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people, who experience awareness of their bodies as missing a gendered body part, or configuration, which is a major characteristic of gender dysphoria. Aims Our purpose was to gain greater understanding of the prevalence and quality of trans phantoms. Methods Data was gathered through a brief, online survey on trans embodiment. Respondents who had both completed the survey, and were deemed appropriate for inclusion in the study, based on their survey responses, comprised our sample of 1,446 adults. Results Results indicated that trans phantoms are a typical embodied experience of TGD people. Almost 50% of study participants reported experiencing a trans phantom, most of whom also reported feeling erotic sensation in their phantom. Conclusions Though the phenomenon of trans phantoms is not universal, it is clearly one that warrants further study.