https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3706-4644
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ABSTRACT
Transgender people experience intersecting forms of social marginalisation in different spheres of their lives. Both structural and interpersonal difficulties limit transgender individuals’ opportunities for positive experiences that increase their health and well-being, such as tourism activities. The scarce research on the transgender population's tourism experiences has not focused exclusively on transgender men's experiences. Informed by an intersectional stigma perspective, this study sought to explore these men's perspective on tourism in two Latin American countries. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of transgender males, which revealed that, due to structural and interpersonal constraints, these men tend to experience stigmatisation, discrimination, exclusion and heightened anxiety, fear and risk while travelling. However, tourism also provides transgender men with opportunities to construct their gender identity and perform selected aspects of their masculinity. Specific practical recommendations are offered to promote the creation of equitable, dignified tourism environments that reduce these men's experiences of stigmatisation during leisure trips.
Limitations of the study
The authors acknowledge that the sample obtained for this study is not representative of the male transgender population in Latin America. For this reason, this study's results cannot be generalised to the transgender population of the region; as a result, the conclusions and practical implications of this research should be taken with due caution. In addition, the fact that some interviews were conducted electronically limits the depth with which the tourism experiences of the participants were explored.
Acknowledgements
We wish to express our deep gratitude to the men who participated in this study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Carlos Monterrubio
Carlos Monterrubio received his PhD in Tourism from the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. He is a Lecturer and tourism researcher at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM), Mexico. His research interests are the sociocultural dimensions of tourism; tourism, gender and sexuality and; non-human animals in tourism and leisure. He has published several research papers in well-established tourism journals and undertaken several research projects in Mexico. He has been twice the secretary of the Mexican Tourism Research Academy and is the current secretary of the Mexican Academy of Men Gender Studies.
Sheilla L. Rodríguez Madera
Sheilla L. Rodríguez Madera is a Social Scientist and researcher specialising on the social conditions affecting the health of vulnerable populations. She has received multiple research grants from the USA's National Institutes of Health (NICHD, NIDA, NIMH, NIA and NCI) with diverse populations including transgender individuals. She has multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes; published six books; and participated extensively in academic forums in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe while disseminating her work. She is the former Executive Director of the Puerto Rico's Commission for the Prevention of Violence and the past president of the Psychological Association of Puerto Rico.
Javier Pérez
Javier Pérez holds a degree in tourism and a certificate in tourism teaching from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM), Mexico. He has been a Lecturer in tourism since 2006. His research interest is focused on culture, sexuality and gender in tourism. He has published and participated in tourism research projects on sexuality and transgender in tourism in Mexico.