Experiences with stigmatization among transgender individuals after transition: A qualitative study in the Netherlands

Abstract

Background: Transgender individuals belong to one of the most stigmatized groups in society. Although the social stigma of transgender individuals has been examined many times, post transition stigma experiences among transgender individuals have received limited research attention. The aim of this study was to examine experiences with stigmatization among Dutch transgender individuals after their transition. Method: Ten trans women (age: M ¼ 58.50, SD ¼ 9.49) and 10 trans men (age: M ¼ 42.90, SD ¼ 13.62) participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. Grounded theory was used to conceptualize and analyze the data. We examined the positive and negative reactions that transgender individuals experienced in the period after their transition. Furthermore, we explored differences between experiences of trans men and trans women. Finally, we examined differences between cisgender men and women regarding their reactions toward transgender individuals. Results: Participants reported improved psychological well-being since transition. However, they still experienced different forms of stigmatization. Trans women appeared to experience stronger social stigma than trans men. Trans women also experienced lower social status after their transition. They mainly experienced negative responses from cisgender men. Participants emphasized the importance of social and peer support. Conclusion: The current study findings demonstrate the presence of stigmatization after transition and argue for psychological aftercare. Social and peer support appeared to be important for coping with stigmatization, and improving the social network of transgender individuals is beneficial. Health providers and researchers are recommended to promote the development of constructive coping skills for transgender individuals with interventions especially targeting trans women.

Estresse de minoria de gênero e seus efeitos na saúde mental como fator de risco para depressão em pessoas transgênero: Revisão da literatura

“…O apoio social e de pares parece ser importante para lidar com a estigmatização, e melhorar a rede social de indivíduos transgêneros é benéfico. Verbeek et al, (2020) recomenda para promover o desenvolvimento de habilidades construtivas de enfrentamento para indivíduos transgêneros com intervenções voltadas especialmente para mulheres trans. Tabela 1.…”

Transition Trajectories: Contexts, Difficulties and Consequences Reported by Young Transgender and Non-Binary Spaniards

“…People who chose transitioning are specially in need of social support, as the process is complex [ 7 , 17 ]. Several participants refer the lack of support they feel from their family and how they wished they could understand who they are and what they are going through.…”

“…As seen above, transgender youth is, according to this model, a victim of these unique stress processes during their development. As such, social support (from family and friends) is crucial so this population can cope with the discrimination they face daily [ 7 ].…”

“…One of the key variables pointed out in these transition processes is the acceptance by the families. Social support during the transition process seems to be extremely important [ 4 , 7 ] and several benefits are identified by transgender individuals due to having a supportive family, relating to other transgender people, and feeling community connectedness [ 4 ]. Some follow-up studies conducted with children diagnosed with gender dysphoria showed that they had high levels of internalized psychopathology [ 11 , 12 ].…”

“…It has also been observed that transgender children who have made the transition have significantly lower levels of internalized psychopathology than those previously found in children diagnosed with gender dysphoria (TIG) and who lived according to their gender of assignment [ 14 ]. Accordingly, a study conducted with 20 transgender men and women in adulthood showed that participants’ psychological well-being improved since the transition [ 7 ]. Other authors in a longitudinal study with 55 transgender people (22 women and 33 men) who had been hormonally blocked as teenagers found that the anxiety rates, emotional distress, and concern for their own body image were similar or better than those of the cisgender population of the same age and none of the people regretted the process followed [ 15 ].…”