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Gender Dysphoria and Disorders of Sex Development pp 319–330Cite as

The Impact of Stigma on Transgender Identity Development and Mental Health

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Part of the book series: Focus on Sexuality Research ((FOSR))

Abstract

The existence of transgender and gender-nonconforming people has been documented throughout history and across cultures. In the twentieth century, transgender expression became medicalized and sex reassignment became available, initially enforcing a binary understanding of sex/gender as either male or female, man or woman, and masculine or feminine. The goal was to adjust and live either as a man or as a woman, evading the social stigma attached to gender nonconformity. However, it quickly became clear that stigma was pervasive and continued, even for those who fully transitioned to living as a member of the other sex. Transsexual and transgender individuals found support among each other, affirmed their specific identity and experience, and advocated for their rights. Since the 1990s, the paradigm shifted toward (re)discovery of a spectrum of gender diversity. Transgender is now an identity, no longer a disorder, and identifying as such is for many an important part of their coming-out process to affirm their differentness, find belonging in a community of peers, challenge stigma, and advocate for inclusion, respect, and acceptance. Research has established the association between discrimination and psychological distress, with family support, identity pride, and particularly peer support serving as protective factors. What is needed is a greater understanding of the mechanism of stigma, both for the minority population and for the sociocultural context in which stigma is produced and perpetuated, to inform policies promoting transgender rights and resilience.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LGBT Health Initiative, Division of Gender, Sexuality, and Health, New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University and the Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY, USA

    Walter Bockting Ph.D.

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  1. Walter Bockting Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Walter Bockting Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, ...., Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Baudewijntje P.C. Kreukels

  2. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Thomas D. Steensma

  3. Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Department of Child and Adolescent Psych, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, Netherlands

    Annelou L.C. de Vries

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Bockting, W. (2014). The Impact of Stigma on Transgender Identity Development and Mental Health. In: Kreukels, B., Steensma, T., de Vries, A. (eds) Gender Dysphoria and Disorders of Sex Development. Focus on Sexuality Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7441-8_16

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