The Impact of the Parental Support on Risk Factors in the Process of Gender Affirmation of Transgender and Gender Diverse People

Abstract

Research involving transgender and gender diverse people (TGD) increased in the last years, mostly concerning healthcare associated to this population. Few studies dedicated their analysis to the impact of parental support on transgender people, even though this is an important aspect in creating a safe environment on which these individuals can build their identity. In addition, the link between family support, TGD identity and homelessness is not completely established. Thus, due to the specificities of the family context of TGD individuals, the aim of this study is to investigate the association between family support and TGD in different moments of the process of gender affirmation. In addition, this study also aims to explore the relationship between a lack of social support and low self-esteem, home abandonment, and dwelling in the street. The survey was designed based on the TransPULSE project and was made available in electronic format. The sample was constituted of 423 TGD residents in two Brazilian states. A Structural Equation Model analysis suggested that the impact of gender affirmation status on homelessness was mediated by parental support, through self-esteem, and the need to move from home. The association between the status of the gender affirmation procedures, family support and self-esteem was significant and indicated that the further TGD individuals advanced in gender affirmation, the more self-esteem and family support they would have. The association between family support and self-esteem indicated that family support was associated with higher self-esteem. Low family support was associated with the willingness to move from home due to one’s TGD status and there was also a significant correlation between low self-esteem and the willingness to move from home due to one’s TGD status. Finally, homelessness was associated with the willingness to move with a large effect size. Limitations include the sample that was constituted by individuals with Internet access and who had more contact with TGD communities. The findings indicate directions for interventions involving TGD people and their families, considering the parental relationship as a critical variable to improve TGD quality of life in the process of gender affirmation.

Brazilian transgender children and adolescents: Attributes associated with quality of life

“…Positive relationships with family members, close friends, co-workers or the school function as a social support network for building the social identity of transgender individuals, with the family environment being the main source of this support (29)(30)(31) .…”

“It just feels right”: Perceptions of the effects of community connectedness among trans individuals

“…Family can provide fundamental social support that is pivotal to mental health and selfesteem. A lack of familial support and maltreatment from the family unit increased the chances of the trans individual becoming homeless by nearly four times [24]. Self-esteem was also shown to be linked to familial acceptance, with lower familial acceptance associated with, for example, a decreased chance of future gender affirmation medical procedures for those individuals desiring them.…”

Crianças e adolescentes transexuais brasileiros: atributos associados à qualidade de vida

“…Estudos demonstram que as relações positivas com familiares, amigos íntimos, colegas de trabalho ou escola funcionam como uma rede de apoio social para construção da identidade social de pessoas transgêneras, sendo o ambiente familiar a principal fonte desse apoio (GRANT et al, 2011;SEIBEL et al, 2018;SOARES et al, 2011).…”

“…Em um estudo realizado com pessoas transgêneras, em dois estados brasileiros, que investigou o impacto do apoio parental sobre os fatores de risco no processo de autodesignação de gênero de pessoas transgêneras, de 421 entrevistados 29,45% 124relataram não ter o apoio dos pais durante a autodesignação de gênero, 20,43% 86receberam pouco apoio e outros 20,43% (86) afirmaram receber apoio dos pais. Quando questionados sobre a necessidade de se afastar da família por serem transgêneros, 40% responderam que essa foi uma realidade vivenciada (SEIBEL et al, 2018).…”

“…Jacob e Cox (2017) reforçam que o apoio familiar reduz comportamentos de risco entre crianças e adolescentes transgêneros. Em contrapartida, a baixa aceitação familiar e o consequente afastamento no/do núcleo familiar, aumenta consideravelmente o número de pessoas transgêneras sem habitação fixa e em situação de rua, e diminui a autoestima e confiança dessas pessoas, elevando sua vulnerabilidade social e acarretando em prejuízos emocionais (JACOB;COX, 2017;SEIBEL et al, 2018). Consistente com os resultados de estudos anteriores, Wang et al (2018) afirmam que o apoio da família na infância traz benefícios para a vida de pessoas transgêneras na fase adulta, pois a família é um suporte direto para crianças e adolescentes durante o período de crescimento e desenvolvimento, em particular, da sexualidade.…”