Abstract
Introduction
Researchers have begun to explore the mental health and social support experiences of rural transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) Americans.
Method
This systematic review included 16 qualitative studies.
Results
The studies are current and of moderate to high quality. Themes included: (a) exploring identity, (b) coping with bullying and isolation, (c) passing, (d) building relationships, and (e) developing resilience in the face of barriers.
Conclusion
While some rural TGNC adults wrestle with negative coping mechanisms, many have found ways to thrive. Further research is needed to develop more targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
Ethics statement
Ethics approval was not required for this non-interventional study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding details
There was no funding for this project.
Data availability statement
There is no data for this systematic review beyond that included in the manuscript and in the original studies on which it is based.