Gender identity and sexual orientation development among young adult transgender men sexually active with cisgender men: ‘I had completely ignored my sexuality … that’s for a different time to figure out’

Abstract

As awareness of issues faced by transgender individuals increases, many young people have been exposed to a dominant narrative about gender identity. Often these narratives are based on binary constructions about both sexual orientation and gender identity. The lack of diverse, representative cultural narratives has implications for identity development and sexual health. Transgender men who have sex with cisgender men in particular represent an understudied and overlooked population who likely experience unique developmental tasks related to the intersection of socially stigmatised sexual orientation and gender identities. This study explores sexual orientation and gender identity development among a sample of young adult transgender men who have sex with men. In-depth interviews using a modified life history method were conducted with 18 young men. Interview transcripts were coded using open, narrative and focused coding methods. Participants discussed milestones in the development of their sexuality and gender identity that map onto existing models, but also described ways in which these processes overlap and intersect in distinct ways. Findings highlight the need for human development models of sexual orientation and gender identity that integrate multiple identity processes. Implications for future research and practice to increase support for young adult transgender men are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• LGBTQ
• transgender
• sexuality
• gender
• identity development

Acknowledgements

We thank study participants for generously sharing their time and experiences. We also thank Tre’Andre Valentine, Thomas Lewis, Mick Rehrig, Mackenzie Pawliger, Justice Williams, Jesse Pack and The Trans Masculine Sexual Health Collaborative for the invaluable collaboration and input to ensure transgender community engagement in this research project.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflict of interest to report.

Notes

1 All names are pseudonyms to protect privacy. Demographic information reported here was collected via survey at baseline and thus reflects how participants identified at that point in time, but these may not have always been the labels or terms they used.

Additional information

Funding

The development of this article was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the US National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01MH094323 (MPIs: Garofalo and Mimiaga). The present research was funded under an administrative supplement to the parent R01 grant (PI: Reisner). The content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the US National Institutes of Health.