Patrolling the Boundaries of Gender: Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Trans and Gender Diverse People in Portuguese Adolescents

Abstract

Objectives: This study had a double goal: (i) analyzing the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of Portuguese adolescents regarding trans and gender diverse people; and (ii) validating the short version of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale. Methods: A sample of 1,005 Portuguese adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years took part in the study. Results: Results indicated that boys exhibited more negative attitudes toward trans and gender diverse people than girls did, and girls exhibited more favorable attitudes toward trans women and gender diverse men than toward trans men and gender diverse women. The bidimensional structure of the scale was confirmed. Conclusion: These results highlight the close relationship between beliefs that reaffirm gender norms and mark the limits of the heterosexual matrix, transphobic attitudes and gender bashing. They are discussed in the context of a queer educational practice.

Keywords:

• Genderism
• transphobia
• gender-bashing
• trans and other gender non-conforming people
• adolescents
• queer theory

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Internal Review Board (IRB) statement

This study was approved by the Ministry of Education and by the National Commission of Data Protection of Portugal. All aspects of data collection in this study, including participant involvement based on active informed consent of parents/legal tutors, were conducted in full compliance with standards for ethical treatment of participants.

Note

Notes

1 We chose the terms “trans” – understood as an umbrella term that refers to a person whose sex assigned at birth does not match their gender identity regardless of whether the person has undergone surgery or hormone treatment or not – and “gender diverse” – referring to individuals who express gender nonconformity but do not necessarily ascribe to trans identity. We use “gender diverse” instead of “gender non conforming”, which has a less inclusive meaning, following the recommendations of Adams et al., (2017).