Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Identity Research Articles

The Role of Internalized Transphobia, Loneliness, and Social Support in the Psychological Well-Being of a Group of Italian Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youths.

Although transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth represent a highly resilient community capable of successfully overcoming adverse life circumstances, they still face social stigma that negatively impacts their health, being at risk of developing negative feelings toward their own TGNC identity (i.e., internalized transphobia). A poorly investigated dimension in TGNC health research is perceived loneliness. Thus, within the minority stress theory, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating role of social support in the relationship between internalized transphobia and psychological well-being among 79 Italian TGNC youths aged 18 to 30-years-old who participated in an online survey. The main results show that loneliness partially mediated the relationship between internalized transphobia and psychological well-being. In addition, social support emerged as a significant moderator, as the impact of internalized transphobia on psychological well-being decreased at moderate and high levels of social support, but not at low levels. The findings have significant implications for clinical practice and psychosocial interventions to reduce the impact of internalized stigma and stress on psychological health.

Early Reactions of Parents to Their Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Children

Pre-adolescent transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth who are supported by their parents have improved psychosocial outcomes. Despite the important role parents play in TGNC youth’s development, there is little research on their experiences. This study explored the early parenting experiences of 34 parents of pre-adolescent TGNC youth. Parents were recruited from online communities and listservs, and interviewed via phone about their early parenting experiences. Data were analyzed via thematic analysis. Findings indicate that parents became aware of their child’s TGNC identity either through observing their child’s gender behaviors, or by their child verbalizing their identity. Parents, on average, became aware of their child’s gender identity exploration when they were just over 3 and a half years old. Parents felt a mix of emotions, with many reporting a lack of concern or positive emotions regarding their child’s rejection of traditional gender roles. Parents without prior knowledge of transgender people or existing connections to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+) people sought out information from the Internet. The findings are both consistent with and diverge from prior research with parents, suggesting both new areas for research, and additional ways in which TGNC youth and their parents can be best supported.

Gender congruence and mental health problems among Chinese transgender and gender non-conforming individuals: A process model involving rumination and stigma consciousness.

The present study examined the roles of gender identity rumination and stigma consciousness in the relationship between gender congruence (comfort with one's gender identity and external appearance) and mental health problems (anxiety and depression). Three hundred and fourteen Chinese individuals identified as transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals were recruited through the Internet and answered an online questionnaire (Mage = 24.34 years, standard deviation = 5.80). Gender congruence was associated with anxiety and depression through three indirect pathways: rumination, stigma consciousness, and sequentially through rumination and stigma consciousness. Gender congruence is an intrapersonal resource that reduces mental health problems through its positive impacts on the TGNC identity process. A more consistent feeling of gender, a lower level of rumination, and a reduced level of consciousness about stigma could be potential working points for interventions in the TGNC community to help alleviate their mental health problems.

A thematic analysis of approaches to practice with people who are transgender and gender nonconforming

AbstractPeople who are transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) have substantial disparities in mental health and thus rely on mental health practitioners like therapists to help address these disparities. However, little is known about therapist practices with TGNC people, and what research exists is often generalised from broader research on practice with people who are gay and lesbian. Because this research uses broad models to describe practitioner behaviour, it assumes all therapists approach practice with TGNC clients in the same way. The current study explores therapists' self‐reported practices with TGNC people through a structured, qualitative, web‐based survey of 95 practising social workers. From a thematic analysis of responses, five approaches to practice with TGNC people emerged: 1) A Low‐Impact Approach, 2) A Fairness First Approach, 3) A Responsive Approach, 4) A Therapist Responsibility Approach and 5) A Pathological Approach. These approaches vary on three key dimensions: whose responsibility it is to broach client gender identity in treatment (therapist or client), the importance of gender identity (from low to high), and whether a TGNC identity is a disorder (yes, no or not addressed). The breadth of practice behaviours and undergirding assumptions participants described indicates that a single model may not fit practice behaviour with TGNC people. A discussion of the relationship between each approach and existing practice models suggests that the Low‐Impact Approach, Responsive Approach and Therapist Responsibility Approach may be effective with TGNC people and that the Pathological Approach likely represents poor practice.

“If Extended Family Can’t Deal…” Disclosing Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Children’s Identity

Parents are core decision-makers and advocates for their pre-adolescent transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) children, yet there is a dearth of research on their experiences, particularly their relationships with extended family members. This study explored how parents make decisions of whether or not to disclose their children’s TGNC identity to extended family members. In Phase 1, 34 parents of TGNC youth under the age of 13 described in interviews their experiences pertaining to disclosure of their child’s TGNC status to extended family members. Phase 2 replicated and expanded these findings with 11 additional parents. Across both phases, two disclosure processes were identified: casual unfolding disclosure, where parents allowed extended family members to witness their child’s TGNC identity development, or explicit direct disclosure, in which parents wrote mailed or emailed letters to help organize their thoughts and direct the course of the conversation. Parents avoided disclosure to select family members, based on five factors: geographical or emotional distance, age, and how conservative or religious family members were. While some relationships were strengthened with disclosure, many parents described tense or unsupportive relationships with extended family members, and some relationships dissolved. The findings suggest extended family members are both potential supporters and stressors, and parents engage in a variety of strategies to bolster their supportive networks while anticipating rejection and mitigating stress. These findings have implications for social work research, practice, and policy.

Parents learning about their children’s TGNC identities

This paper reviews the results of a qualitative metasummary exploring parents’ experiences of a transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) child’s initial identity disclosure conversations or the parent’s initial awareness of their child’s gender identity. We conducted a systematic literature search, resulting in 22 peer-reviewed articles with qualitative data collected from parent participants. Data analysis resulted in two primary themes, five subthemes, and 25 total findings, which we describe in the findings section. The discussion section articulates how these findings may benefit healthcare providers serving parents and their TGNC identified children. This paper concludes with an invitation for healthcare providers to provide services that address the needs of TGNC children, parents, and the relational bond existing between them.

Endorsement of Feminist Beliefs, Openness, and Mindful Acceptance as Predictors of Decreased Transphobia

ABSTRACT The inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals in feminist theory, discourse, and activism is fraught with controversy. Given this historical tension within various feminism movements, the current study sought to understand the nature of the relationship between endorsement of feminist beliefs and transphobia, and whether the specific individual-level factors such as openness to experience and mindful acceptance, moderate such a relationship. Analyzing data from a sample of n = 211 participants recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform, the regression analyses indicate both endorsement of feminist beliefs and openness to experience are independent inverse predictors of transphobia, net of other variables in the regression models. However, openness to experience does not moderate the relationship between endorsement of feminist beliefs and transphobia. Further, mindful acceptance was not a significant predictor or moderating variable regarding transphobia. For the feminist community, this is an important contribution as it supports the idea that feminist attitudes may be inclusive of TGNC identities, along with the individual personality facet of openness to experience. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

A qualitative study on minority stress subjectively experienced by transgender and gender nonconforming people in Italy

Summary A great amount of quantitative research has largely demonstrated that transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people experience high rates of minority stress, against which they are able to exercise resilience and to use adaptive strategies buffering the negative effects of stress on health. Notwithstanding, qualitative investigations on how TGNC people subjectively experience minority stress are still scarce. This study aims at exploring the subjective experiences of minority stress through a focus group with 8 Italian TGNC individuals (5 male-to-female, 2 female-to-male, and 1 genderqueer; M = 25; SD = 5). Narratives were analyzed through the deductive thematic analysis. The analysis generated four main categories: (1) family rejection; (2) visibility of the body; (3) negative effects of family violence on health; and (4) integration of TGNC identity. Results offer an in-depth exploration of minority stress processes in TGNC people, as well as the impact of stress on health and adaptive strategies to face with stigma. Suggestions for clinical practice are discussed.

Navigating identity: Experiences of binary and non-binary transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) adults

ABSTRACTBackground: Emerging research and colloquial dialogues increasingly point to an uptick in non-binary gender identity endorsement, however research has failed to parallel this increase. For example, existing literature often conflates gender identity with sexual orientation, lumping TGNC people under the LGBTQ umbrella, thus rendering the “T” silent in the process. Further, extant research adheres to a binary (i.e., dichotomous male/female) conceptualization of gender, thus excluding individuals who identify as genderqueer, gender non-conforming, or otherwise non-binary as well as those who do not identify with the construct of gender at all (e.g., agender).Method: This qualitative investigation utilized individual interviews with 15 TGNC adults. Data analysis employed two data-driven phases, first identifying themes consistent across the 15 transcripts to identify nuances in TGNC identity formation often missed by theory-driven models and second, establishing similarities and differences between binary and non-binary narratives.Results: Results indicated that various helpful and challenging factors played a stronger role than chronology, physical transition, or activism across all participants which contrasts findings in extant literature. Further, while binary and non-binary narratives were similar in many regards, several noteworthy distinctions emerged. For example, the concepts of “passing or blending”, intersections of gender identity with sexual orientation, and navigating identity presentation and disclosure were described differently for binary and non-binary participants.Conclusions: Historically, the “T” in “LGBTQ” has often been rendered silent. These results indicate that non-binary narratives have been rendered doubly silent. Given the increasing preponderance of non-binary identifications and the unique needs and experiences of non-binary participants, it is crucial that professional and lay communities alike begin to take two steps moving forward: 1) explicitly acknowledge the existence of non-binary TGNC identities and 2) work to achieve fluency regarding the unique needs and experiences of this population.

First impressions online: The inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming identities and services in mental healthcare providers' online materials in the USA

ABSTRACTBackground: When accessing mental healthcare services, transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals face systemic barriers to gender-affirmative care. Initial points of contact, like intake forms, may show limited consideration for the heterogeneity of TGNC identities and can lead to negative consequences prior to face-to-face interaction with providers. Aims: The first aim was to mimic a likely pathway a TGNC individual may follow to seek mental healthcare services in the USA and to describe the extent to which they may encounter enacted stigma or affirmative messages that may impede or facilitate access to care. The second aim was to determine if a positive State legal climate for TGNC people was associated with more affirmative provider materials. Methods: Content analysis was used to examine a national sample of websites and intake forms of mental healthcare providers who advertise online as working with TGNC clients. Intake forms were coded for usage of affirmative language in gender/sex questions and including questions for a client's pronouns and preferred name. Websites were coded for mentioning a variety of services or resources for TGNC clients. Results: While provider websites were found through Google searches for a “gender therapist,” only 56.6% of websites stated a provider specialty to work with TGNC clients and 32.1% of websites had no mention of services or resources for TGNC people. Additionally, a significantly larger proportion of intake forms from States with legal protections for TGNC people used affirmative language in gender/sex questions and asked for a client's pronouns than intake forms from States without legal protections. Discussion: Barriers to affirmative healthcare for TGNC people within patient and provider interactions have been identified in previous research and these data show TGNC individuals may face enacted stigma even in their search for a provider, particularly those TGNC people living in States without legal protections.

Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Student Experiences in Christian Higher Education: A Qualitative Exploration

ABSTRACTReligion and spirituality are important in the lives of many transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals. Although TGNC students can make unique contributions to Christian colleges and universities (CCUs), many individuals who identify as both religious and TGNC report rejection from nonaffirming religious communities that view TGNC identities and expression as sinful or psychologically disordered. Additionally, previous research has suggested that TGNC college students experience disproportionately high rates of verbal and sexual harassment, threats, physical assault, and anti-TGNC messaging on college campuses. In order to better understand the experiences of TGNC students who attended nonaffirming CCUs, semistructured interviews were conducted with seven TGNC students and alumni regarding their gender identity, religion, spirituality, campus experiences, and perceptions of campus climate. Data analysis was completed using guidelines consistent with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Shaw, 2010). Findings revealed four major themes: (a) invisibility of TGNC individuals and identities on campus, (b) rejection within the college environment, (c) ambivalence and psychological conflict about integrating religion, spirituality, and gender identity, and (d) resilience and the importance of campus support systems. Recommendations for creating greater inclusion of TGNC students on CCU campuses are presented. This study also explores clinical considerations for mental health professionals and student services personnel employed at CCUs.

Risk and Protective Factors in the Lives of Transgender/Gender Nonconforming Adolescents

PurposeResearch suggests that transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) youth may be at greatly increased risk of high-risk health behaviors compared with cisgender youth, but existing studies are limited by convenience samples and small numbers. This study uses a large school-based sample of adolescents to describe the prevalence of TGNC identity, associations with health risk behaviors and protective factors, and differences across birth-assigned sex. MethodsThis study analyzes existing surveillance data provided by 9th and 11th grade students in Minnesota in 2016 (N = 81,885). Students who were transgender, genderqueer, genderfluid, or unsure about their gender identity (TGNC) were compared with those who were not, using χ2 and t-tests. Outcome measures included four domains of high-risk behaviors and experiences and four protective factors. ResultsThe prevalence of TGNC identity was 2.7% (n = 2,168) and varied significantly across gender, race/ethnicity, and economic indicators. Involvement in all types of risk behaviors and experiences was significantly higher, and reports of four protective factors were significantly lower among TGNC than cisgender youth. For example, almost two-thirds (61.3%) of TGNC youth reported suicidal ideation, which is over three times higher than cisgender youth (20.0%, χ2 = 1959.9, p < .001). Among TGNC youth, emotional distress and bullying experience were significantly more common among birth-assigned females than males. ConclusionsThis research presents the first large-scale, population-based evidence of substantial health disparities for TGNC adolescents in the United States, highlighting numerous multilevel points of intervention through established protective factors. Health care providers are advised to act as allies by creating a safe space for young people, bolstering protective factors, and supporting their healthy development.

Internalized transphobia: Exploring perceptions of social messages in transgender and gender-nonconforming adults

ABSTRACTBackground: Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals encounter a variety of minority stressors that have yet to be fully articulated or explored within the research literature. The purpose of this study is to better understand internalized stigma—the experience of accepting and internalizing negative social messages and experiences about one's identity—an underexplored minority stressor for TGNC people.Method: We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 diverse TGNC participants using consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology.Results: Following data saturation and analysis, six distinct themes emerged across participants: (1) TGNC identities are regarded negatively by society; (2) social messages are perceived as originating from the media and religious ideology; (3) TGNC individuals report emotional distress; (4) negative self-perceptions in response to social messages; (5) TGNC individuals report resilience processes in response to negative social messages; and (6) social messages are perceived generally to differentially impact TGNC people of color.Conclusion: Findings highlight the common experience of encountering social marginalization for TGNC individuals. Structural interventions that target pervasive sociocultural messages regarding TGNC identities are warranted.

Living a fairy tale: the educational experiences of transgender and gender non-conforming youth in Northern Ireland

ABSTRACTThis article investigates educational experiences of transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth living in Northern Ireland (NI) through a mixed-methods research design and analytical framework of heteronormativity. It draws on large-scale survey data which, for the first time in NI, captured the experiences of 16 year olds who identify as TGNC. This provides a baseline for the demographics of TGNC youth living in NI and the levels of homophobic and transphobic abuse they experience in school. Survey data are triangulated with findings from five qualitative interviews exploring the subjective experiences of TGNC youth in educational environments. Interview data reveal how heteronormativity is embedded in educational policies and practices. This institutionalisation of heteronormativity was found to be linked to the influence of conservative Christian values, which inhibit open and positive dialogue about TGNC and non-heterosexual identities, in educational domains. We show how educational environments shaped by heteronormativity and conservative Christian values serve to undermine the self-determination and freedom of expression of TGNC youth. In conclusion, we offer practical examples of counter-heteronormative interventions that will assist educators and schools in NI to develop empathetic practice and supportive environments that will erode the inequality and injustice TGNC youth experience in pedagogical institutions.

Identity concealment in transgender adults: A qualitative assessment of minority stress and gender affirmation.

Minority individuals might conceal their identity in social contexts in an effort to avoid stigma and victimization. Unfortunately, identity concealment is thought to impact psychological distress in transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals. Thus, through 30 in-depth interviews, we sought to understand if and how identity concealment was experienced by TGNC individuals. Findings indicated that (a) TGNC identity concealment is a source of stress, (b) individuals might conceal their TGNC identity based on social context, (c) concealment of assigned sex and gender history can function to affirm one's true gender identity, and (d) concealment of gender history is a rejection of one's assigned sex. In addition, (a) passing/blending is an important interpersonal and intrapersonal process, (b) the importance of passing/blending can change over time, and (c) not passing/blending may result in worrying about personal safety. The authors discuss how concealment can both inhibit and promote psychological health for TGNC individuals, and they offer clinical applications for health providers. (PsycINFO Database Record

Marginalization of Transgender Identities: Implications for Health Equity

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people encounter health disparities in the United States, perpetuated by limited TGNC-related content in medical education and training. Recognition of the effects of discrimination and stigma on TGNC communities has contributed to a resurgence of interest in these populations. Exploring the diversity of TGNC identities and recognizing patterns of institutionalized bias enable health care providers, including psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners, to promote health equity for these historically underserved populations. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2016;46(6):334–339.]

The Role of the Psychiatrist Working with Transgender Patients

There is a lack of psychiatric training and literature that addresses how best to care for transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people. This article seeks to give the psychiatrist working with TGNC adults a reliable framework and core concepts that help define the role of the psychiatrist working with this population. There are many functions of the psychiatrist, some of which are specific to TGNC identity consolidation and/or gender transition, and some that involve more generic or universal clinical considerations but require specialized knowledge about unique TGNC experiences and medical needs. There are social, cultural, historical, and political factors that affect the working alliance as well as the patient's health and forward trajectory. Working on a team and/or in collaboration with other medical providers and nonpsychiatric agencies is often necessary. Networking and expanding outside traditional psychiatric settings enhances education and clinical practice. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2016;46(6):340–345.]