Transmasculine Persons' Experiences of Encounters with Health Care Professionals Within Reproductive, Perinatal, and Sexual Health in Sweden: A Qualitative Interview Study.

Kristin Asklöv,Carina Berterö,Regina Ekenger

doi:10.1089/trgh.2020.0081

Abstract

Purpose: Transmasculine persons may experience stigma, which increases the risk of psychological distress. They may need reproductive, perinatal, and sexual health care; however, qualitative studies addressing transgender individuals' experiences are scarce. This study aimed at interpreting and describing the experiences of transmasculine persons in encounters with health care professionals (HCPs) within reproductive, perinatal, and sexual health care.Methods: Nine qualitative semi-structured online interviews were conducted via email with transmasculine persons, and data were analyzed by using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis.Results: Two themes were identified. The first theme is normalization and confirmation of the gender identity. This theme comprises the knowledge and experience that these transmasculine persons are facing. The verbal approach from the HCPs was important as well as could be addressed with a non-binary approach. The second theme is Respect in an especially exposed situation. This theme shows the great importance of being involved in the care and at the same time being met with openness and empathy. There must be good prospects of being able to preserve dignity.Conclusion: Transmasculine persons are in an exposed position in reproductive, perinatal, and sexual health care. The encounters in health care could be negatively affected if HCPs show inadequate knowledge or express gender stereotypical attitudes. A good encounter is characterized by respect, preserved integrity, involvement in the care, and an open attitude toward gender variations.

Highlights

The concept of gender is used to separate the biological and social sex,[1] but it is a tool for studying how people shape themselves and how this affects people’s living conditions.[1]
They were between 25 and 43 years old. They defined themselves as men, transgender, or transmasculine and all had been diagnosed with transsexualism or gender dysphoria
Thematic result During the analysis, we identified two themes answering the question how transmasculine persons experience encounters with health care professionals (HCPs) within reproductive, perinatal, and sexual health

Summary

Introduction

The concept of gender is used to separate the biological and social sex,[1] but it is a tool for studying how people shape themselves and how this affects people’s living conditions.[1]. Transgender is an umbrella term that includes gender-variant identities, not identifying with the sex assigned to them at birth or not fitting into the binary gender categories, either female or male or both.[2]. Transgender persons may experience isolation and stigma, which increases the risk of anxiety and depression.[3,4] They face barriers to health care, since it is common that transgender persons hesitate to seek health care due to fear of being mistreated or of facing ignorance by health care professionals (HCPs) if they should disclose their gender identity.[5]. HCPs state that they require increased knowledge in the specific health care needs of transgender persons.[6] Being recognized and addressed as the gender that they identify themselves as is an Departments of 1Obstetrics and Gynecology and 2Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden.

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