{"title":"Sociocultural Messages about Gender Dysphoria (Dis)Align with the Lived Experiences of Trans and Nonbinary Individuals: A Qualitative Study","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s11199-024-01460-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>This study explored the experiences of trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals in relation to gender dysphoria, specifically focusing on information they have received from sociocultural agents (i.e., messages) about gender dysphoria and how their actual experiences align or differ from these messages. A sample of 104 participants responded to four prompts: what sociocultural messages have you received from others about gender dysphoria, where did you hear this information, how have your experiences of gender dysphoria been similar to these sociocultural messages, and how have your experiences been different from these sociocultural messages. Content analysis identified that the primary source of information about gender dysphoria came from online spaces. Thematic analysis was utilized to understand the content of messages and alignment with lived experiences. Thematic results indicated that six themes were present in the sociocultural messages as well as participants’ lived experience: (a) diverse expressions of gender dysphoria symptoms, (b) perspectives on the dimensions of gender dysphoria, (c) gender dysphoria is distressing, (d) the nuanced and individualized nature of gender dysphoria, (e) complex relations between medical transition and gender dysphoria, and (f) stigmatizing perceptions of individuals with gender dysphoria. Although themes were present across both sociocultural messages and lived experience, the ways participants described their experiences of gender dysphoria in comparison to the messages were complementing, conflicting, <em>and</em> contradicting. Taken as a whole, the results indicate that while trans medicalization and trans normativity dictate a unifying experience of gender dysphoria, TNB individuals’ experiences are more varied and nuanced. Discussion focuses on the importance of recognizing the complexity and diversity of gender dysphoria experiences.</p>","PeriodicalId":48425,"journal":{"name":"Sex Roles","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Sex Roles","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01460-7","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study explored the experiences of trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals in relation to gender dysphoria, specifically focusing on information they have received from sociocultural agents (i.e., messages) about gender dysphoria and how their actual experiences align or differ from these messages. A sample of 104 participants responded to four prompts: what sociocultural messages have you received from others about gender dysphoria, where did you hear this information, how have your experiences of gender dysphoria been similar to these sociocultural messages, and how have your experiences been different from these sociocultural messages. Content analysis identified that the primary source of information about gender dysphoria came from online spaces. Thematic analysis was utilized to understand the content of messages and alignment with lived experiences. Thematic results indicated that six themes were present in the sociocultural messages as well as participants’ lived experience: (a) diverse expressions of gender dysphoria symptoms, (b) perspectives on the dimensions of gender dysphoria, (c) gender dysphoria is distressing, (d) the nuanced and individualized nature of gender dysphoria, (e) complex relations between medical transition and gender dysphoria, and (f) stigmatizing perceptions of individuals with gender dysphoria. Although themes were present across both sociocultural messages and lived experience, the ways participants described their experiences of gender dysphoria in comparison to the messages were complementing, conflicting, and contradicting. Taken as a whole, the results indicate that while trans medicalization and trans normativity dictate a unifying experience of gender dysphoria, TNB individuals’ experiences are more varied and nuanced. Discussion focuses on the importance of recognizing the complexity and diversity of gender dysphoria experiences.
期刊介绍:
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research is a global, multidisciplinary, scholarly, social and behavioral science journal with a feminist perspective. It publishes original research reports as well as original theoretical papers and conceptual review articles that explore how gender organizes people’s lives and their surrounding worlds, including gender identities, belief systems, representations, interactions, relations, organizations, institutions, and statuses. The range of topics covered is broad and dynamic, including but not limited to the study of gendered attitudes, stereotyping, and sexism; gendered contexts, culture, and power; the intersections of gender with race, class, sexual orientation, age, and other statuses and identities; body image; violence; gender (including masculinities) and feminist identities; human sexuality; communication studies; work and organizations; gendered development across the life span or life course; mental, physical, and reproductive health and health care; sports; interpersonal relationships and attraction; activism and social change; economic, political, and legal inequities; and methodological challenges and innovations in doing gender research.