Identity-Based Bullying Victimization Among Canadian Adolescents: Experiences of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth

Abstract

Identity-based bullying, also known as bias-based and stigma-based bullying, is bullying that occurs due to a real or perceived social identity. Youth from equity-deserving communities, such as transgender and gender diverse youth, are more likely to experience both general bullying victimization and identity-based bullying victimization. The current study used nationally representative Canadian data from the 2022 Health Behaviours in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study to examine (a) the prevalence of different forms of bullying victimization, including identity-based bullying, among students of diverse gender identities in two grade cohorts (grades 6–8 and grades 9–10); and (b) the association between these victimization experiences and psychological complaints. Participants consisted of 26,571 youth in grades 6 to 10 from across Canada, including transgender girls ( n = 108), transgender boys ( n = 298), and gender diverse youth ( n = 1,169) who completed self-report measures in school. Factor analyses demonstrated that general and sex/gender identity-based victimization were unique. In general, transgender and gender diverse youth experienced higher levels of both types of victimization relative to their cisgender peers. Multigroup structural equation modeling indicated that sex/gender identity-based bullying was positively associated with psychological complaints for transgender and gender diverse youth only. Findings suggest that approximately one in two transgender and gender diverse youth experience bullying victimization regularly. This victimization is highly pervasive, tends to target their gender and/or sexual orientation, and is associated with poor mental health. Results underscore the importance of including specific components on identity-based bullying, bias, prejudice, and discrimination in bullying prevention and intervention efforts.