Erik Eriksen is a remarkable individual. He has no college degrees yet is Professor of Human Development at Harvard University. He came to psychology via art, which explains why the reader will find him painting contexts and backgrounds rather than stating dull facts and concepts. He has been a training psychoanalyst for many years as well as a perceptive observer of cultural and social settings and their effect on growing up. This is not just a book on childhood. It is a panorama of our society. Anxiety in young children, apathy in American Indians, confusion in veterans of war, and arrogance in young Nazis are scrutinized under the psychoanalytic magnifying glass. The material is well written and devoid of technical jargon. The theme of the volume is that it is human to have a long childhood which will leave a lifelong residue of emotional immaturity in man. Primitive groups and

Childhood and Society.

Objectives. We determined racial/ethnic differences in social support and exposure to violence and transphobia, and explored correlates of depression among male-to-female transgender women with a history of sex work (THSW).Methods. A total of 573 THSW who worked or resided in San Francisco or Oakland, California, were recruited through street outreach and referrals and completed individual interviews using a structured questionnaire.Results. More than half of Latina and White participants were depressed on the basis of Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores. About three quarters of White participants reported ever having suicidal ideation, of whom 64% reported suicide attempts. Half of the participants reported being physically assaulted, and 38% reported being raped or sexually assaulted before age 18 years. White and African American participants reported transphobia experiences more frequently than did others. Social support, transphobia, suicidal ideation, and levels of income and ed...

https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdfplus/10.2105/AJPH.2010.197285

Social Support, Exposure to Violence and Transphobia, and Correlates of Depression Among Male-to-Female Transgender Women With a History of Sex Work

Although the term transgender is increasingly used to refer to those whose gender identity or expression diverges from culturally defined categories of sex and gender, less is known about the self-...

Exploring the Diversity of Gender and Sexual Orientation Identities in an Online Sample of Transgender Individuals

Transgender theory is an emerging theoretical orientation on the nature of gender and gender identity in understanding the lived experiences of transgender and transsexual individuals. It is distinct in emphasizing the importance of physical embodiment in gender and sexual identity. Transgender theory integrates this embodiment with the self and socially constructed aspects of identity through the lived experiences of those with intersecting identities. Thus, it provides a theoretical basis for reconciling feminist and queer theoretical scholarship with social work practice and advocacy, with regard not only to issues of working with transgenders but also to larger issues of group identity and social oppression. This article describes the emergence of transgender theory from feminist and queer theories that used social constructivist approaches to challenge essentialist ideas that maintained the oppression of certain gender and sexual identities. Transgender theory is also applied to specific issues of un...

/pdf/transgender-theory-embodying-research-and-practice-vfqqcv9321.pdf

Transgender theory: Embodying research and practice

The goal of this paper is to give current understanding of non-binary/genderqueer identities, non-binary mental health trends and identity development, unique experiences of non-binary individuals, and recommendations for clinicians and researchers. About one third of individuals who identify as transgender primarily identify as non-binary. Recent studies found that non-binary people are at higher risk for suicide, experience more psychological distress, and experience higher levels of depression and anxiety. New studies on identity development of non-binary individuals provide explicit and fluid understandings of gender identity development outside of male/female, man/woman, and boy/girl. Overall, little research is focused on non-binary individuals even though non-binary people make up a significant portion of the transgender community and experience even greater negative mental health risks. Non-binary people face several challenges in a society that is structured around binary gender identities. We encourage psychologists to challenge the dominant binary assumption about gender and create environments that include and affirm non-binary individuals.

Non-binary/Genderqueer Identities: a Critical Review of the Literature

Gender is a ubiquitous social construct that wields power over every individual in our society. The traditional dichotomous gender paradigm is oppressive, especially for transgendered people whose sense of themselves as gendered people is incongruent with the gender they were assigned at birth. Transgendered individuals are targeted for mistreatment when others attempt to enforce conventional gender boundaries. This article discusses gender-based oppression and the resulting psychosocial difficulties experienced by many transgendered individuals. The discussion advances a critical analysis of the dominant gender paradigm using two alternative theoretical perspectives on gender--queer theory and social constructionism. The article argues that the transgender community is an at-risk population and that empowering practice with this population calls on social workers to target society's traditional gender dichotomy for change. An overview of practice implications and research needs is provided.

Bending Gender, Ending Gender: Theoretical Foundations for Social Work Practice with the Transgender Community

A purposive sample of 15 self-identified transgender adults who reported having appreciation for being transgender was recruited. Each participated in an individual, open-ended interview designed to tap the participant's lived experience with transgenderism as a valued aspect of life. Transcripts were analyzed using Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological processes. The results suggest that intimate connections with one's self, others, and a larger purpose constitute the essence of appreciating one's transgenderism. This report presents the findings related to participants’ intimate connection with the self. The results position social workers to recognize strengths of the transgender population and to engage in culturally competent practice.

Barb J. Burdge

Papers

Bending Gender, Ending Gender: Theoretical Foundations for Social Work Practice with the Transgender Community

Being True, Whole, and Strong: A Phenomenology of Transgenderism As a Valued Life Experience