“They feel empowered to discriminate against las chicas”: Latina transgender women’s experiences navigating the healthcare system

Abstract

Background

Transgender Women of Color are more likely to experience oppression at the hands of healthcare providers than their transgender White counterparts. However, there is a paucity of research on the experiences of Latina transgender women in the United States.

Aims

Using an intersectionality theory framework, the present study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to Latina transgender women’s decision to seek or refuse healthcare services and Latina transgender women’s experiences with healthcare providers in the United States.

Methods

A community sample of 15 Latina transgender women at a large metropolitan city in Florida participated in a focus group to explore their experiences with seeking out and accessing healthcare services.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed five themes: 1) experiences in seeking healthcare, 2) the effects of hormones on mental health, 3) resistance, 4) imparting collective knowledge, and 5) recommendations to healthcare providers.

Conclusions

Through collective dialog these women gave voice to their needs and pains in the context of healthcare while also positioning themselves as agentic, resistant, and aware of the power of collectivism in the process of healing. The current findings support and extend calls for training improvements related to transgender populations, giving voice not only to the need for training but specifying immigrant Latina transgender women’s desire for such training. Also, elements related to Latinx cultural values (e.g., convivencia, familismo) must be considered when working with Latina transgender women.

Keywords:

• Healthcare providers
• lack of access
• Latina transgender women
• resistance
• well-being
• discrimination
• mental health

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors received funding from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), Grants-in-Aid (GIA) for this project.