Resisting coherence: trans men’s experiences and the use of grounded theory methods

Abstract

In this methodological reflective manuscript, I explore my decision to use a grounded theoretical approach to my dissertation study on trans* men in higher education. Specifically, I question whether grounded theory as a methodology is capable of capturing the complexity and capaciousness of trans*-masculine experiences. Through the lenses of social justice and Critical Trans Politics I question whether theory generation with so little published about trans* men in research puts limitations on the possibilities of liberation for trans* men. I suggest researchers consider utilizing exploratory research to understand the experiences of trans* men instead of theorizing about their lived experiences.

Keywords:

• Transgender
• higher education
• grounded theory
• social justice
• Critical Trans Politics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Transgender or trans, not trans*, were the predominant terms in use at the onset of my research.