Varieties of Transgender/Transsexual Lives and Their Relationship with Transphobia

Abstract

The conceptualization of gender variant populations within studies have consisted of imposed labels and a diversity of individual identities that preclude any attempt at examining the variations found among gender variant populations, while at the same time creating artificial distinctions between groups that may not actually exist. Data were collected from 90 transgender/transsexual people using confidential, self-administered questionnaires. Factors like age of transition, being out to others, and participant's race and class were associated with experiences of transphobic life events. Discrimination can have profound impact on transgender/transsexual people's lives, but different factors can influence one's experience of transphobia. Further studies are needed to examine how transphobia manifests, and how gender characteristics impact people's lives.

KEYWORDS:

• transgender
• transsexual
• gender identity
• gender expression
• discrimination

The National Institute on Drug Abuse funded this project (1 R03 DA12909). The author also wishes to thank Talia Bettcher, Anthony Silvestre, Miranda Vey Kent, and Nikki Pirain for their help in preparing this manuscript.