Research on Parents of Gender-Diverse Children: From Pathologization to Affirmation

Abstract

This critical review article examines research to date on the experiences of parents of gender-diverse children. This research is expanding quickly, but its history spans decades and disciplines. Based on a review of 64 research publications from 1996 to 2021, the article traces a development from pathologizing to affirming approaches to research with parents. The earlier pathologizing approach is evident in what researchers report in terms of parent reactions, involving exclusively negative emotions and a discourse of parental “grief,” but also in how researchers approach the topic themselves, failing to conceive of alternative ways of reacting that do not involve negative emotions and trauma. This article discusses ways this earlier research could be interpreted differently, including how negative emotions can reflect secondary stigma and gender minority stress, and how grief can point to internalized cisgenderism. The review identifies changes toward an affirming approach in more recent research, which relocates the problem from gender-diverse children themselves to the society surrounding them. It also highlights directions for future research, centering around resilience rather than trauma – how parents find strength and hope in a challenging environment, and how parenting a gender-diverse child can be a positive experience for parents and children alike.