Transgender youth in small towns: perceptions of community size, climate, and support

Abstract

ABSTRACT Transgender youth are at risk of stigma and marginalization which can negatively impact their mental and physical health. Transgender youth in small towns may face increased stigma and a lack of supportive resources. It is essential to find ways to enhance support and resources and mitigate the effects of stigma. This exploratory study utilized qualitative interviews and an online survey to examine how transgender and gender questioning youth in nonmetropolitan and small metropolitan counties perceive their communities in terms of size, community climate, and transgender-specific resources. Results revealed variations in community climate by county size. Interviews revealed more complexity in descriptions of climate including the presence of support and hostility and a lack of visibility of transgender identities, rather than based solely on community size. Community size was not associated with the provision of supportive resources; rather community climate was associated with the availability, utilization, and unmet needs for community resources, above and beyond the impact of community size. The findings from this study contribute to minority stress theory and have direct practical implications.