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’

Figures & data

Table 1. Lifespan human development models of sexual orientation and gender identity development.

	1. Sexual Orientation Identity Development		2. Transgender Identity Development
Process	D’Augelli’s (1994) Model	Description of Process	Lev’s (2004) Model	Description of Process	Bilodeau’s (2005) Model	Description of Process
1	Exiting heterosexuality	Recognises that one’s sexual orientation is not heterosexual	Awareness	Internal sense of feeling different	Exiting a traditionally gendered identity	Recognises that one’s gender identity is not cisgender
2	Developing a personal LGB identity	Naming one’s identity, finding labels and terms that fit	Seeking information/reaching out	Seeking education and support related to transgender communities	Developing a personal transgender identity	Naming one’s identity, finding labels and terms that fit
3	Developing an LGB social identity	Coming out to friends, developing an accepting social network	Disclosure to significant others	Coming out as transgender to friends, family and partners	Developing a social transgender identity	Coming out to friends, developing an accepting social network
4	Becoming an LGB family member	Coming out to family, navigating acceptance and/or rejection	Exploration: Identity and self-labelling	Finding terms and labels to describe one’s identity	Becoming a transgender family member	Coming out to family, navigating acceptance and/or rejection
5	Developing an LGB intimacy status	Exploring sexuality and dating	Exploration: Transition issues/possible body modification	Exploring options for changes to identity, expression and body	Developing a transgender intimacy status	Exploring sexuality and dating
6	Entering an LGB community	Finding and becoming part of a community of other LGB individuals	Integration and pride	Full integration into new identity	Entering the transgender community	Finding and becoming part of a community of other transgender individuals

Figure 1. Integrated sexual orientation and gender identity developmental model.

Table 2. Sociodemographic and other related characteristics among participants in the LifeSkills for Men study (N = 18).

	Total Sample
	Mean	Standard Deviation (SD)
Age in years	23.94	3.06
	Percent (%)	N
Employment status (N = 18)
Employment full-time	50.0%	9
Employment part-time	27.8%	5
Unemployed	22.2%	4
Educational attainment (N = 18)
College degree or higher	55.6%	10
Less than college	44.4%	8
Gender identity (N = 18)
Man	16.7%	3
Transgender man/FTM	72.2%	13
Genderqueer/Non-binary	5.6%	1
Agender	5.6%	1
Sexuality (N = 18)
Gay/Same-gender attraction	11.1%	2
Bisexual	5.6%	1
Queer	33.3%	6
Pansexual	33.3%	6
Asexual	11.1%	2
Other	5.6%	1

D’Augelli, A. R. 1994. “Identity Development and Sexual Orientation: Toward a Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development.” In Human Diversity: Perspectives on People in Context, edited by E. J. Trickett, R. J. Watts, and D. Birman, 312–333. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Lev, A. I. 2004. Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant People and Their Families. New York: The Haworth Clinical Practice Press.

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Bilodeau, B. 2005. “Beyond the Gender Binary: A Case Study of Two Transgender Students at a Midwestern Research University.” Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education 3 (1): 29–44. doi:10.1300/J367v03n01_05

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