Discrimination and Risky Sexual Behavior, Substance Use, and Suicidality among Transgender Individuals

ABSTRACT

Transgender identities are becoming increasingly common in the United States, and existing research provides ample evidence that risky sexual behaviors, substance use, and suicidality are prevalent experiences among transgender persons. Yet, prior research provides little insight into understanding the specific mechanisms that may promote deviant outcomes among transgender persons. Drawing from an aspect of general strain theory, the goal of this study is to examine the extent to which transwomen and transmen vary in risky sexual behaviors, substance use, and suicidality, and to explore the degree to which discrimination – as a source of strain – plays a role within this process. An analysis of data from transgender individuals from the Virginia Transgender Health Initiative Study (THIS) demonstrates that transwomen and transmen significantly diverge in self-reported risky sexual behaviors, substance use, and suicidality. Greater discrimination based on transgender identity relates to significantly increased odds of suicidality and elevated levels of substance use, but does not relate to risky sexual behavior. Overall, effects of discrimination on each outcome are similar for both transwomen and transmen.

Notes

¹ Because alcohol is not illegal, we engaged in a sensitivity analysis to examine whether the results held without alcohol in the scale. The substantive findings were the same and including alcohol in the scale improved model fit. As a result, we retained alcohol use in this measure.

² We conducted t-tests for each individual item in the discrimination index by transgender identity (transwomen compared to transmen). Only item 5 (“Have you ever lost housing or a housing opportunity due to your transgender status and/or gender expression?”) was statistically significant. Thus, while transwomen and transmen do not vary by the overall index, there is slight variation around individuals’ items.

³ A negative binomial model is used over a Poisson model due to over dispersion in the dependent variable as shown by a likelihood ratio test of the overdispersion parameter alpha.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by the Center for Family and Demographic Research, Bowling Green State University, which has core funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P2CHD050959).

Notes on contributors

Valerie J. Schweizer

Valerie J. Schweizer is a Statistician at LAPOP Lab at Vanderbilt University. Her recent research investigates public opinion, viewpoints, and behavior regarding democracy in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.

Thomas J. Mowen

Thomas J. Mowenis an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Bowling Green State University.  His recent research examines why people believe in Bigfoot, ghosts, and UFOs. Tom’s recent work has appeared in Criminology, Justice Quarterly, and Deviant Behavior.