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Life experiences of sexual minorities in Iran: limitations, adaptations and challenges

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present a description, theming, and status comparison of sexual minorities, such as transgender persons and transsexuals in the Islamic society of Iran. Cultural as well as religious sensitivities have made the living conditions of sexual minorities, as an individual and a social being, extremely challenging. Using a hermeneutic interpretation (interpretative phenomenological analysis) a number of 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with transgender individuals; from the interviews, three main themes: self-confidence, legal respect (in terms of the self) and social esteem were revealed. These individuals were categorized into three groups: transgender individuals (pre-sex reassignment surgery), transsexuals (under hormone therapy), and transsexuals (post-sex reassignment surgery). The findings indicate that social dignity in relation to transgender individuals is a critical issue. More than other social groups, transgender individuals are under a higher level of mental stress pertaining to role conflict, disappointment in romantic relationships, high risk of suicide, being discriminated against, based on sexual orientation, and physical, verbal and sexual abuse. The interviews also introduced exclusion and the inability to adapt/adjust in socially professional situations, as the leading context condition losing social dignity in all three groups. These difficulties have also been noticed in post-surgical transsexuals, especially from those that have undergone male to female sex reassignment surgeries. These findings support the rights of sexual minorities and more specifically transgender individuals in the Civil Rights Charter which has recently been submitted to the Iranian parliament. Moreover, the establishment of transgender health training centers is proposed in order to complete the medical process of sex reassignment and to facilitate appropriate behavioral adjustment to the reassigned sex, especially for male to female sex reassignment transgender individuals.

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  1. Department of Social Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

    Naima Mohammadi

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Mohammadi, N. Life experiences of sexual minorities in Iran: limitations, adaptations and challenges. Qual Quant 52, 719–737 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-017-0484-9

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