Showing papers on "Transgender published in 2015"
TL;DR: Stigma prevention and coping interventions hold promise for reducing stigma and its adverse health-related effects in transgender populations, and multi-level interventions to prevent stigma towards transgender people are warranted.
905 citations
TL;DR: The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) measure was developed grounded on Meyer's minority stress model, and adjusted to reflect the experiences of TGNC populations based on TGNC literature and archival data from TGNC focus groups as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Researchers currently lack a reliable and valid means of assessing minority stress and resilience factors in transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people. This study was conducted to develop and evaluate the validity of a tool to better assess these constructs in TGNC populations. The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) measure was developed grounded on Meyer’s minority stress model, and adjusted to reflect the experiences of TGNC populations based on TGNC literature and archival data from TGNC focus groups. The final GMSR includes scales assessing 9 constructs: gender-related discrimination, gender-related rejection, gender-related victimization, nonaffirmation of gender identity, internalized transphobia, negative expectations for future events, nondisclosure, community connectedness, and pride. In the current study, 844 participants completed the GMSR measure as well as measures related to mental health, general life stress, and social support. Results indicated good model fit, criterion validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity for the 9 hypothesized scales. Discriminant validity for the scales were also partially supported. Overall, the current study offers preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the GMSR Measure for use with TGNC populations. The GMSR Measure has several uses for both research and clinical purposes, including increasing understanding of the experiences and correlates of gender minority stress and resilience factors and assessing whether specific therapies or interventions are helpful in reducing risk and supporting resilience in TGNC populations.
594 citations
TL;DR: Transgender youth were found to have a disparity in negative mental health outcomes compared with cisgender youth, with equally high burden in FTM and MTF patients.
476 citations
TL;DR: Weighted multivariable logistic regression models investigated disparities in substance use and tested a gender minority social stress hypothesis, supporting the use of gender minority stress perspectives in designing early interventions aimed at addressing the negative health sequelae of bullying and harassment.
Abstract: Bullying and substance use represent serious public health issues facing adolescents in the United States. Few large-sample national studies have examined differences in these indicators by gender identity. The Teen Health and Technology Study (N = 5,542) sampled adolescents ages 13 to 18 years old online. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models investigated disparities in substance use and tested a gender minority social stress hypothesis, comparing gender minority youth (i.e., who are transgender/gender nonconforming and have a gender different from their sex assigned at birth) and cisgender (i.e., whose gender identity or expression matches theirs assigned at birth). Overall, 11.5% of youth self-identified as gender minority. Gender minority youth had increased odds of past-12-month alcohol use, marijuana use, and nonmarijuana illicit drug use. Gender minority youth disproportionately experienced bullying and harassment in the past 12 months, and this victimization was associated with increased odds of all substance use indicators. Bullying mediated the elevated odds of substance use for gender minority youth compared to cisgender adolescents. Findings support the use of gender minority stress perspectives in designing early interventions aimed at addressing the negative health sequelae of bullying and harassment.
375 citations
TL;DR: An overview of the current literature on seven cancer sites that may disproportionately affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) populations is provided.
Abstract: This article provides an overview of the current literature on seven cancer sites that may disproportionately affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) populations. For each cancer site, the authors present and discuss the descriptive statistics, primary prevention, secondary prevention and preclinical disease, tertiary prevention and late-stage disease, and clinical implications. Finally, an overview of psychosocial factors related to cancer survivorship is offered as well as strategies for improving access to care.
326 citations
TL;DR: Interventions to increase social inclusion and access to medical transition, and to reduce transphobia, have the potential to contribute to substantial reductions in the extremely high prevalences of suicide ideation and attempts within trans populations.
Abstract: Across Europe, Canada, and the United States, 22–43 % of transgender (trans) people report a history of suicide attempts. We aimed to identify intervenable factors (related to social inclusion, transphobia, or sex/gender transition) associated with reduced risk of past-year suicide ideation or attempt, and to quantify the potential population health impact. The Trans PULSE respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey collected data from trans people age 16+ in Ontario, Canada, including 380 who reported on suicide outcomes. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were weighted using RDS II methods. Counterfactual risk ratios and population attributable risks were estimated using model-standardized risks. Among trans Ontarians, 35.1 % (95 % CI: 27.6, 42.5) seriously considered, and 11.2 % (95 % CI: 6.0, 16.4) attempted, suicide in the past year. Social support, reduced transphobia, and having any personal identification documents changed to an appropriate sex designation were associated with large relative and absolute reductions in suicide risk, as was completing a medical transition through hormones and/or surgeries (when needed). Parental support for gender identity was associated with reduced ideation. Lower self-reported transphobia (10th versus 90th percentile) was associated with a 66 % reduction in ideation (RR = 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.17, 0.67), and an additional 76 % reduction in attempts among those with ideation (RR = 0.24; 95 % CI: 0.07, 0.82). This corresponds to potential prevention of 160 ideations per 1000 trans persons, and 200 attempts per 1,000 with ideation, based on a hypothetical reduction of transphobia from current levels to the 10th percentile. Large effect sizes were observed for this controlled analysis of intervenable factors, suggesting that interventions to increase social inclusion and access to medical transition, and to reduce transphobia, have the potential to contribute to substantial reductions in the extremely high prevalences of suicide ideation and attempts within trans populations. Such interventions at the population level may require policy change.
305 citations
TL;DR: This is the first study to examine physical and mental health QOL, as an indicator of successful aging, among LGBT older adults, and important differences by age group emerged.
Abstract: Purpose: Lesbian, g ay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are a health disparate population as identified in Healthy People 2020. Yet, there has been limited attention to how LGBT older adults maintain successful aging despite the adversity they face. Utilizing a Resilience Framework, this study investigates the relationship between physical and mental health-related quality of life (QOL) and covariates by age group. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of LGBT adults aged 50 and older (N = 2,560) was conducted by Caring and Aging with Pride: The National Health, Aging, and Sexuality Study via collaborations with 11 sites across the U.S. Linear regression analyses tested specified relationships and moderating effects of age groups (aged 50–64; 65–79; 80 and older). Results: Physical and mental health QOL were neg atively associated with discrimination and chronic conditions and positively with social support, social network size, physical and leisure activities, substance nonuse, employment, income, and being male when controlling for age and other covariates. Mental health QOL was also positively associated with positive sense of sexual identity and negatively with sexual identity disclosure. Important differences by age group emerged and for the old–old age group the influence of discrimination was particularly salient. Implications: This is the first study to examine ph ysical and mental health QOL, as an indicator of successful aging, among LGBT older adults. An understanding of the configuration of resources and risks by age group is important for the development of aging and health initiatives tailored for this growing population.
268 citations
TL;DR: Transgender and cisgender SM young adults have elevated rates of compensatory behavior and SR-ED diagnosis and Appropriate interventions for these populations are urgently needed.
267 citations
TL;DR: Prevalence of depression and suicidality demonstrates that youth may benefit from timely and appropriate intervention, and evaluation of these youth over time will help determine the impact of medical intervention and mental health therapy.
255 citations
TL;DR: The authors conducted a systematic examination of questionnaires, manuals, and other technical materials from four of the largest and longest-running surveys in the United States and found that essentialist practices that treat sex and gender as synonymous, easily determined by others, obvious, and unchanging over the life course permeated the surveys.
Abstract: Recently, scholars and activists have turned their attention toward improving the measurement of sex and gender in survey research. The focus of this effort has been on including answer options beyond “male” and “female” to questions about the respondent’s gender. This is an important step toward both reflecting the diversity of gendered lives and better aligning survey measurement practice with contemporary gender theory. However, our systematic examination of questionnaires, manuals, and other technical materials from four of the largest and longest-running surveys in the United States indicates that there are a number of other issues with how gender is conceptualized and measured in social surveys that also deserve attention, including essentialist practices that treat sex and gender as synonymous, easily determined by others, obvious, and unchanging over the life course. We find that these understandings extend well beyond direct questions about the respondent’s gender, permeating the surveys. A hyper...
252 citations
TL;DR: A model of risk and resilience for outness among LGBT youth, including whether it varies by community context, is explored, suggesting that being out reflects resilience in the face of higher risk of victimization, in addition to promoting well-being in other ways.
Abstract: For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, coming out (i.e., disclosure of LGBT identity to others) can be a key developmental milestone, one that is associated with better psychological well-being. However, this greater visibility may come with increased risk of peer victimization. Being out, therefore, may reflect resilience and may unfold differently depending on ecological context as some spaces may be more or less supportive of LGBT youth than others. This article explores a model of risk and resilience for outness among LGBT youth, including whether it varies by community context. We tested our hypothesized model with a national dataset of 7,816 LGBT secondary school students using multi-group structural equation modeling. Consistent with our hypotheses, outness was related to higher victimization but also to higher self-esteem and lower depression. Greater victimization was related to negative academic outcomes directly and indirectly via diminished well-being. The increases in victimization associated with outness were larger for rural youth, and benefits to well-being partly compensated for their lower well-being overall. This article suggests that being out reflects resilience in the face of higher risk of victimization, in addition to promoting well-being in other ways. Nonetheless, contextual factors influence how this model operates among LGBT youth.
TL;DR: The results suggest that gender nonconforming trans people face more discrimination and, in turn, are more likely to engage in health‐harming behaviors than trans people who are gender conforming.
Abstract: Research suggests that transgender people face high levels of discrimination in society, which may contribute to their disproportionate risk for poor health. However, little is known about whether gender nonconformity, as a visible marker of one's stigmatized status as a transgender individual, heightens trans people's experiences with discrimination and, in turn, their health. Using data from the largest survey of transgender adults in the United States, the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (N = 4,115), we examine the associations among gender nonconformity, transphobic discrimination, and health-harming behaviors (i.e., attempted suicide, drug/alcohol abuse, and smoking). The results suggest that gender nonconforming trans people face more discrimination and, in turn, are more likely to engage in health-harming behaviors than trans people who are gender conforming. Our findings highlight the important role of gender nonconformity in the social experiences and well-being of transgender people.
TL;DR: Addressing stigma at multiple levels is necessary to reduce the vulnerability of suicide attempts among transgender adults, and a higher score on the internalized transphobia scale was associated with greater lifetime suicide attempts.
Abstract: This study assessed individual (ie, internalized transphobia) and structural forms of stigma as risk factors for suicide attempts among transgender adults. Internalized transphobia was assessed through a 26-item scale including four dimensions: pride, passing, alienation, and shame. State-level structural stigma was operationalized as a composite index, including density of same-sex couples; proportion of Gay-Straight Alliances per public high school; 5 policies related to sexual orientation discrimination; and aggregated public opinion toward homosexuality. Multivariable logistic generalized estimating equation models assessed associations of interest among an online sample of transgender adults (N = 1,229) representing 48 states and the District of Columbia. Lower levels of structural stigma were associated with fewer lifetime suicide attempts (AOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.997), and a higher score on the internalized transphobia scale was associated with greater lifetime suicide attempts (AOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.33). Addressing stigma at multiple levels is necessary to reduce the vulnerability of suicide attempts among transgender adults.
TL;DR: Recommendations include enhancing physician understanding of how to provide culturally and clinically competent care for LGBT individuals, addressing environmental and social factors that can affect their mental and physical well-being, and supporting further research into understanding their unique health needs.
Abstract: In this position paper, the American College of Physicians examines the health disparities experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and makes a series of recommendations to achieve equity for LGBT individuals in the health care system. These recommendations include enhancing physician understanding of how to provide culturally and clinically competent care for LGBT individuals, addressing environmental and social factors that can affect their mental and physical well-being, and supporting further research into understanding their unique health needs.
TL;DR: In this article, a cross-sectional study of 245 non-Latino White and Latino young adults (ages 21-25) in the United States, the authors examined the positive role that support from parents, friends, and the community have for LGBT young adults.
Abstract: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and young adults are known to have compromised physical and mental health, and family rejection has been found to be an important risk factor. Yet few studies have examined the positive role that support from parents, friends, and the community have for LGBT young adults. In a cross-sectional study of 245 LGBT non-Latino White and Latino young adults (ages 21–25) in the United States, sexuality-related social support was examined in association with measures of adjustment in young adulthood. Family, friend, and community support were strong predictors of positive outcomes, including life situation, self-esteem, and LGBT esteem. However, family acceptance had the strongest overall influence when other forms of support were considered. Implications for the unique and concurrent forms of social support for LGBT youth and young adult adjustment are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relations of minority stressors (i.e., antitransgender discrimination, stigma awareness, and internalized transphobia) and individual and group-level buffers (e.g., resilience and collective action).
Abstract: With a national sample of 552 transgender adults, the present study tested hypotheses drawn from minority stress theory and positive psychology research on stress-ameliorating processes. Specifically, the present study examined the relations of minority stressors (i.e., antitransgender discrimination, stigma awareness, and internalized transphobia) and individualand group-level buffers (i.e., resilience and collective action) of minority stress. As expected, each minority stressor was positively correlated with psychological distress. In terms of buffers, resilience—though not collective action—was negatively correlated with psychological distress. Additionally, stigma awareness—but not internalized transphobia—mediated the relation of antitransgender discrimination with higher psychological distress. Moderation analyses indicated that resilience did not moderate any of the relations of the minority stressors with psychological distress. However, contrary to prediction, collective action strengthened the positive relation of internalized transphobia with psychological distress. Furthermore, at high levels of collective action, internalized transphobia became a significant mediator of the discrimination-distress relation. Strategies for developing individual (e.g., resilience building strategies) and group-level (e.g., engagement in collective action) interventions targeted toward transgender individuals who experience discrimination are discussed.
TL;DR: Qualitative analysis suggested students have significant concerns in addressing certain aspects of LGBT health, specifically with transgender patients.
Abstract: Phenomenon: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face significant barriers in accessing appropriate and comprehensive medical care. Medical students' level of preparedness and comfort caring for LGBT patients is unknown. Approach: An online questionnaire (2009–2010) was distributed to students (n = 9,522) at 176 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in Canada and the United States, followed by focus groups (2010) with students (n = 35) at five medical schools. The objective of this study was to characterize LGBT-related medical curricula, to determine medical students' assessments of their institutions' LGBT-related curricular content, and to evaluate their comfort and preparedness in caring for LGBT patients. Findings: Of 9,522 survey respondents, 4,262 from 170 schools were included in the final analysis. Most medical students (2,866/4,262; 67.3%) evaluated their LGBT-related curriculum as “fair” or worse. Students most often felt prepared addressing human immunodeficiency vir...
TL;DR: Analyses suggest that psychological distress might "get better" when adolescents encounter less victimization and adds to a growing literature indicating that early experiences of stress impact the mental health of LGBTQ youth.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of social support among TGNC participants differentiated by gender identity, ethnicity, and living environment, and found that the negative correlation between trans community connectedness and mental health symptoms was significant only for TFS participants.
Abstract: For those identifying as transgender or gender nonconforming (TGNC), the support of others can be instrumental in mitigating the challenges associated with cross-gender transition and identification. Social support and connectedness to the TGNC community can positively impact psychological well-being, facilitate resilience, and buffer against external stigmatization, prejudice, and discrimination (Frost & Meyer, 2012; Hendricks & Testa, 2012). The present study seeks to improve understanding of relationships among general social support (GSS), trans community connectedness (TCC), depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. The inclusion of 2 forms of social support allows for greater examination of the differential impact of perceived general support (i.e., from both cisgender and TGNC friends and family members) and TGNC-specific social support (i.e., feeling connected to other TGNC people). To honor the diversity within the TGNC community, the impact of social support was examined among TGNC participants differentiated by gender identity, ethnicity, and living environment. As part of the Internet-based Trans Health Survey, standardized measures of depression, generalized anxiety, and social support were administered to 865 TGNC adults. For both trans male spectrum (TMS) and trans female spectrum (TFS) participants, general social support was significantly negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, the negative correlation between trans community connectedness and mental health symptoms was significant only for TFS participants. Variations in perceived TCC among ethnicity and living environment groups--distinguished by gender identity--are also explored. Finally, targets for future minority stress and social support research with the TGNC population are discussed. Language: en
TL;DR: Assessing the knowledge of faculty in baccalaureate nursing programs and their readiness to teach about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health will help inform the design of faculty development programs and guide in aligning the curricula with current LGBT health priorities.
Abstract: AIM This article assesses the knowledge of faculty in baccalaureate nursing programs and their readiness to teach about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health. BACKGROUND Although health disparities affecting the LGBT population are increasingly acknowledged in the literature, a dearth of information exists on how LGBT health is integrated in nursing programs. METHOD A survey was sent to a nonprobability purposive sample of nursing school administrative leaders (N = 739); they were asked to share the link with their faculty. More than 1,000 faculty completed the survey. RESULTS The knowledge, experience, and readiness for teaching LGBT health among baccalaureate faculty are limited. LGBT faculty reported greater awareness, knowledge, and readiness compared with heterosexual faculty. The estimated median time devoted to teaching LGBT health was 2.12 hours. CONCLUSION Findings will help inform the design of faculty development programs and guide in aligning the curricula with current...
TL;DR: For example, this paper found that in-person social support appears to be more protective against victimization, suggesting that one is not a replacement for the other, but was unrelated to the other outcomes of interest.
TL;DR: Accounting for this observed diversity, policy and practice changes are recommended to increase social inclusion and service access for trans persons, regardless of transition status.
Abstract: Recent estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 200 adults may be trans (transgender, transsexual, or transitioned). Knowledge about dimensions of sex and gender in trans populations is crucial to development of inclusive policy, practice, and research, but limited data have been available, particularly from probability samples. The Trans PULSE community-based research project surveyed trans Ontarians (n = 433) in 2009–2010 using respondent-driven sampling. Frequencies were weighted by recruitment probability to produce estimates for the networked Ontario trans population. An estimated 30% of trans Ontarians were living their day-to-day lives in their birth gender, and 23% were living in their felt gender with no medical intervention. In all, 42% were using hormones, while 15% of male-to-female spectrum persons had undergone vaginoplasty and 0.4% of female-to-male spectrum persons had had phalloplasty. Of those living in their felt gender, 59% had begun to do so within the past four years. A minority of trans Ontarians reported a linear transition from one sex to another, yet such a trajectory is often assumed to be the norm. Accounting for this observed diversity, we recommend policy and practice changes to increase social inclusion and service access for trans persons, regardless of transition status.
TL;DR: The combinations of sources of support LGBT youth receive are related to their mental health, and higher SES youth are more likely to receive support from family, peers, and significant others.
Abstract: Purpose: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth show increased risk for a number of negative mental health outcomes, which research has linked to minority stressors such as victimization. Further, social support promotes positive mental health outcomes for LGBT youth, and different sources of social support show differential relationships with mental health outcomes. However, little is known about how combinations of different sources of support impact mental health. Methods: In the present study, we identify clusters of family, peer, and significant other social support and then examine demographic and mental health differences by cluster in an analytic sample of 232 LGBT youth between the ages of 16 and 20 years. Results: Using k-means cluster analysis, three social support cluster types were identified: high support (44.0% of participants), low support (21.6%), and non-family support (34.5%). A series of chi-square tests were used to examine demographic differences between these ...
28 Feb 2015
TL;DR: The findings indicate that although Facebook can be a stressful place for gender transition due to difficulties of transition disclosure, support from one's Facebook network can help to mitigate some of this stress.
Abstract: Social computing technologies, such as social networking sites (SNSs), often privilege people who fit within expected, static categories. Thus, users embarking on major identity changes, such as gender transition, often encounter stress when using SNSs to interact with their online social networks. To address this problem and reflect on the design of SNSs and other social computing systems, we present the results of a comprehensive online survey of transgender and gender non-conforming SNS users. Our findings indicate that although Facebook can be a stressful place for gender transition due to difficulties of transition disclosure, support from one's Facebook network can help to mitigate some of this stress. We examine Facebook both as a site of stress and as a site of support. Better understanding the relationships between stress, disclosure, and support on SNSs for these particular users can inform technology design that will benefit people who struggle with navigating a wide range of major identity changes online.
TL;DR: The feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of QSE, an innovative online comprehensive sexual health program for LGBT youth, are demonstrated.
Abstract: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experience multiple sexual health inequities driven, in part, by deficits in parental and peer support, school-based sex education programs, and community services. Research suggests that the Internet may be an important resource in the development of sexual health among LGBT youth. We examined the feasibility of recruiting youth in same-sex relationships into an online sexual health intervention, evaluated intervention acceptability, and obtained initial estimates of intervention efficacy. LGBT youth (16 to 20 years old) completed Queer Sex Ed (QSE), an online, multimedia sexual health intervention consisting of five modules. The final sample (N = 202) completed the pretest, intervention, and posttest assessments. The primary study outcomes were sexual orientation identity and self-acceptance (e.g., coming-out self-efficacy), sexual health knowledge (e.g., sexual functioning), relationship variables (e.g., communication skills), and safer sex (e.g., se...
TL;DR: The evolution of a Boston community health center’s multidisciplinary model of transgender healthcare, research, education, and dissemination of best practices is described.
Abstract: This report describes the evolution of a Boston community health center’s multidisciplinary model of transgender healthcare, research, education, and dissemination of best practices. This process began with the development of a community-based approach to care that has been refined over almost 20 years where transgender patients have received tailored services through the Transgender Health Program. The program began as a response to unmet clinical needs and has grown through recognition that our local culturally responsive approach that links clinical care with biobehavioral and health services research, education, training, and advocacy promotes social justice and health equity for transgender people. Fenway Health’s holistic public health efforts recognize the key role of gender affirmation in the care and well-being of transgender people worldwide.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the independent demographic and psychosocial factors associated with psychological distress and resilience among transgender men and women and found that younger age, feeling unable to turn to family for support, and victimization experiences were associated with greater psychological distress.
Abstract: Objectives. We examined the independent demographic and psychosocial factors associated with psychological distress and resilience among transgender men and women.Methods. Our data came from an online survey involving a national Australian sample of 169 transgender men and women in 2011. Survey questions assessed demographics; sources of support; contact with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender peers; and experiences of victimization. We assessed the outcomes with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale.Results. In all, 46.0% of the sample reported high or very high levels of psychological distress. Multivariable regression analyses identified considerably different independent factors for psychological distress and resilience. Younger age, feeling unable to turn to family for support, and victimization experiences were associated with greater psychological distress, whereas higher income, identifying as heterosexual, and having frequent contact with lesbian, gay, bisex...
TL;DR: Some of the reasons for nurses reporting feelings of discomfort with LGBT patient care are explored and some of their comments indicated that they might not be providing culturally sensitive care.
TL;DR: Assessment of gynecologists' preferences and knowledge base with regard to transgender healthcare found efforts should be made to educate trainees on the important aspects of transgender care, and comprehensive guidelines should be published for practicing providers.
Abstract: Background: Medical school and residency curricula are lacking in content on the care of the transgender patient. As a result, many providers do not have enough experience and knowledge to adequately care for this patient population. The aim of this study was to assess gynecologists' preferences and knowledge base with regard to transgender healthcare. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) providers. An anonymous survey was sent via electronic mail to nine academic OBGYN departments across the United States. Survey questions were designed to assess provider experience and practice environment, education about transgender health practices, personal experience with transgender patients, and knowledge base regarding current recommendations for the care of gender minority patients. Results: Of the 352 providers who received the survey, 141 responded, for a 40.1% response rate. Of the respondents, 61.7% (87 of 141) were generalist OBGYNs, and 86% (117 of 136) ...
01 Aug 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored whether qualitative analysis is an effective way to examine intersectional microaggressions and examined whether people with multiple identities could identify these subtle forms of discrimination in their everyday lives.
Abstract: Microaggressions are subtle forms of discrimination, often unintentional and unconscious, which send negative and denigrating messages to various individuals and groups. Previous literature has focused on microaggressions of singular identities, with little attention to the impacts of intersectional microaggressions (i.e., subtle forms of discrimination that may be influenced by more than 1 identity). The current study utilized a unique qualitative technique to address 2 central goals: (a) to explore whether qualitative analysis is an effective way to examine intersectional microaggressions and (b) to examine whether people with multiple identities could identify intersectional microaggressions in their everyday lives. Utilizing Qualitative Secondary Analysis (QSA) and Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) methods, the researchers analyzed data from 6 previous qualitative studies with self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, women, Filipino Americans, multiracial people, and Muslims (N = 80). Sample themes include (a) Exoticization of Women of Color, (b) Disapproval of LGBT Identity by Racial, Ethnic, and Religious Groups, (c) Assumptions of Inferiority or Criminality of Men of Color, and (d) Gender-Based Stereotypes of Muslim Men and Women. Implications for psychology (particularly for research and practice) are discussed. Finally, the authors advocate for the use of secondary analysis of qualitative data, to understand concepts that would not have been studied or reported through a singular qualitative analysis.