The history of transgender identity is inextricable from the mental health industry. Since the late 1970's transgender people have required permission from mental health professionals to make medical modifications to their sex characteristics. During the time of this research, it was difficult for transgender individuals to receive the hormones or surgeries they desire without first being diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (GID). This study applies labeling theory to the label of GID. Labeling theory poses that if an individual is labeled with a mental illness, they will either reject or accept the label. Acceptance of the mentally ill label will cause the individual to adopt characteristics expected of the label. The intent of this study is to examine the relationship between mental health therapy and the formation of transgender identities. Utilizing labeling theory, it analyzes whether or not transgender participants of this study accepted or rejected the mental illness label of GID. It was originally posed that if transgender individuals accepted the label of GID, they would experience a shift in their gender identity. However, the overwhelming majority of the twelve participants interviewed rejected the label of GID. Even though most participants rejected the GID label, many still saw a shift in gender identity while attending therapy. This thesis proposes that there may be a link between a transgender person’s reason for entering therapy and identity shift. Those who felt obligated to go to therapy for the sole reason of gaining permission to change their sex characteristics saw no change in identity. However, those who wanted help in exploring their gender with a therapist saw identity changes while in therapy.

Transgender athletes face scrutiny because they do not fit within the traditional and constructed bounds of male and female. The objective of this study was to discover how to provide advocacy to this marginalized population amidst discriminating policies and transphobic environments. The research included a survey of high school coaches from thirty schools throughout Tennessee along with interviews with five transgender athletes from across the United States. All five athletes reported that leaders were the most impactful allies in their lives and can be the main sources of advocacy for transgender athletes. Survey findings showed that not every coach throughout Tennessee will accept transgender athletes but in each region of Tennessee some coaches claimed to support and would resist discriminatory policies. Leaders have the opportunity to pave the way for transgender athletes by providing advocacy and amplifying the voices of transgender athletes.

My work is a continuously evolving self portrait formulated by a combination of past experiences and influences. The Immaculate Condemnation body of work is a cathartic reaction that confronts Catholic Sin and rebels against gender conformity. As both a confirmed Catholic and transgender woman, I speak from an authentic voice that seeks open conversation regarding these topics. I also hope to demystify the transsexual body for the non-transgendered viewer. Additionally, I use allegoric imagery to communicate my interpretation of beauty, power, horror, and sex. I combine performance, photography, sculpture, video, audio, and graphic design to execute my installations. I intentionally develop environments that both attract and repulse the viewer in order to mimic the relationship I have with Catholicism and Gender Issues.

<p dir="ltr">The need for affirming relational therapy is important for clients who identify as transgender and gender nonconforming - particularly during the process of their transition. Because of the conceptual overlap between the two approaches, the Satir Model of experiential therapy can be effectively applied to existing frameworks for affirming couple therapy. The study reflects the efficacy of this proposed model of therapy through a phenomenological case study. The results, their implications, and the application of the model are discussed.</p>

This study examined the hindering and helpful events that transgender and gender-nonconforming Ontarians experienced in therapy. To explore descriptive accounts of these experiences, we employed a systematic and rigorous investigation using the significant events framework and thematic analysis to interpret findings. Eleven participants underwent semi-structured interviews, providing rich accounts of their recent therapy experiences alongside their contexts and impacts. From these interview transcripts, we constructed eight major themes relevant to the research question: (1) Helpful and Hindering Relational Gestures; (2) Expectations about the Therapist’s Role; (3) Therapist’s Perception of Transness; (4) Topics in Therapy; (5) Significant Relational-Emotional Experiences; (6) Significant Event Impacts on the Client; (7) Client Processes in Understanding Significant Therapy Events; and (8) Contexts. Implications for therapeutic work are discussed.

Though much research exists on LGBT+ exclusion from school-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education, the strategies used by LGBT+ individuals during their search for knowledge regarding the subject are not as widely documented. Using the ethnographic research method of semi-structured interviews, this research explores the experiences of young LGBT+ adults with formal sexual and reproductive health education and examines the self-education methods employed by this population in the context of exclusionary and cisheteronormative curricula. This project also functions to contribute to existing literature in the field of anthropology and other social sciences regarding the subject of SRH education, particularly LGBT+ SRH education. Furthermore, this study supports the need for additional research through the use of applied anthropology concerning interactions between institutions, policy and individual experiences of health.

This study was conducted through in-depth interviews to examine potential differences between binary-aligned transgender individuals and non-binary individuals in regards to media usage when learning about, articulating, and explaining their gender identity. Results showed numerous differences between transgender people with binary-aligned and non-binary gender identifications in regards to social media preferences and differences in perceived media importance and effects. Additional information was found in regards to the age at which gender identity is articulated and the importance of individuality in comparison to one's gender identity.

Despite advancements in research on sexual morphology as well as increasing interdisciplinary theory on gender, medicine continues to perpetuate anti-transgender stigma in health care. Research on this topic has typically lacked perspectives from health professionals, who operate in and contribute to the environments in which patients seek care. In collaboration with Dallas non-profit Trans Pride Initiative, this study seeks to begin filling this research gap, relying on a sexual stigma framework created by Gregory Herek and applying it to anti-transgender (or gender) stigma to examine its manifestations in health care environments through narrative inquiry. The data from narrative interviews with health care professionals revealed themes of inadequate schooling on transgender competency models and health needs, difficulties in resisting gatekeeper practices while addressing mental health needs, a patient-as-expert approach amongst trans-affirming providers, and understanding of patient family dynamics as a catalyst for understanding stigma. Exploration of sexual identity prior to claiming gender identity, lacking language to explain gender experiences until encountering other LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) people, and religious trauma as restrictive to gender exploration during childhood emerged as themes amongst transgender and gender diverse participant interviews. The practical implications of these themes present issues for institutional, social, and legal change due to the pervasiveness of sexual dimorphism (and subsequent gender binary) as a means of structuring medicine, social organization, and legal systems, respectively. Still, critical gender engagement with health professionals pre- and post- licensure has the potential for profound impacts beyond addressing anti-trans stigma in health care.

South African institutions of higher learning remain unfriendly and hostile environments for queer students who reportedly continue to experience homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in these spaces. This qualitative enquiry explored the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersexed (LGBTI) students in accessing healthcare in a contact higher education institution. The findings suggest that LGBTI issues are silenced within the university spaces and this blocks the availability of a targeted and strategic approach to deal with the healthcare issues of queer students. Furthermore, it was found that the healthcare services are heterocentric in nature, mainly targeting heterosexual students and deliberately excluding LGBTI students from accessing these services. In addition, the heteronormative attitudes held by healthcare professionals create added barriers for LGBTI students to access healthcare services. Religiously motivated stigma and discrimination prevented healthcare professionals from providing culturally appropriate healthcare services to LGBTI students, thereby excluding them from accessing these services. This research concludes that university management should take decisive action in supporting a human rights framework in order to protect the rights of LGBTI students. Sensitization training as well as the training curriculum of healthcare professionals should include aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Behaviour Studies in HIV-AIDS)

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