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Easterbrook-Smith G. 'Boy smell': transgender and nonbinary people's experiences of bodily smell. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2024:1-15. [PMID: 39023180 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2024.2379871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Although smell is sometimes treated with little regard, it is invested with cultural meaning and conveys a great deal of information, including about gender, sexuality and identity. This article draws on interviews with 11 transgender and nonbinary people who have accessed gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), and focuses on how they understand and explain changes in how their own bodies smell. Although it is well documented that GAHT causes changes in skin oiliness, changes in smell are inconsistently documented, and within the medical literature are often commented on only in passing. Taking a discourse analytic approach, the article finds that participants noticed changes in their own smell during hormonal transition, that in many cases this change was understood as significant in some way, and that these changes could be experienced as affirming. Understandings of what changes in bodily smell meant were often derived relationally or socially, although participants' discussion of the experience frequently focused on their own embodiment. Smell seems to form part of a process of (re)identification with the physical self and gender affirmation that can be facilitated by GAHT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwyn Easterbrook-Smith
- School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
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Esteban C, Hernández-López E, Francia-Martínez M, Ramos-Pibernus A. Development and Preliminary Validation of a Scale to Measure Perceived Therapist's Knowledge about Gender Identity Diversity among Trans and Non-Binary Individuals in Puerto Rico. Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2024; 14:1890-1901. [PMID: 39056640 PMCID: PMC11276512 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe14070125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to describe the development of the Perceived Therapist's Knowledge about Gender Identity Diversity Scale and to preliminarily validate this scale by describing its psychometric properties. This research instrument was constructed based on the existing literature and recommendations for instrument development. Initially, a 36-item scale was devised to assess perceived openness and knowledge about gender identity diversity in therapy. The content validation process involved 12 expert judges, leading to a refined 25-item scale. Participants consisting of 57 trans and non-binary Puerto Rican individuals completed the scale. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a unidimensional structure, supporting a single factor named "perceived knowledge about gender identity diversity in therapy." The final scale demonstrated excellent reliability (α = 0.978; Sα = 0.980; ω = 0.979), indicating strong internal consistency. This validated scale contributes to assessing primarily Hispanic trans and non-binary individuals' perceptions of their therapists' knowledge about gender identity diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Esteban
- The Queer Biopsychosocial Health Laboratory (The Queer Lab), School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto Rico;
- Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto Rico
- Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Diversity Committee, Puerto Rico Psychological Association, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico; (M.F.-M.); (A.R.-P.)
| | - Eddiel Hernández-López
- The Queer Biopsychosocial Health Laboratory (The Queer Lab), School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto Rico;
- Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto Rico
| | - Margarita Francia-Martínez
- Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Diversity Committee, Puerto Rico Psychological Association, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico; (M.F.-M.); (A.R.-P.)
- Clinical Psychology Program, Universidad Carlos Albizu, San Juan 00901, Puerto Rico
| | - Alixida Ramos-Pibernus
- Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Diversity Committee, Puerto Rico Psychological Association, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico; (M.F.-M.); (A.R.-P.)
- Health Equity Research (HER) Lab, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto Rico
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Kia H, Kenney KA, Abramovich A, Ferlatte O, MacKinnon KR, Knight R. "Nowhere else to be found": Drawing on peer support experiences among transgender and gender-diverse people to substantiate community-driven gender-affirming care. Soc Sci Med 2023; 339:116406. [PMID: 37979491 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly, applied social scientists and clinicians recognize the value of engaging transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people, particularly TGD individuals with lived experience as care recipients (peers), to inform the provision of gender-affirming care. Despite this trend, few researchers have systematically examined how this group can contribute to and enhance the development and delivery of interventions intended to affirm gender diversity. In this article, we address limitations in the literature by drawing on a secondary analysis of qualitative data - originally collected to examine the peer support experiences of TGD individuals - to explore the potential that TGD peers hold for elevating gender-affirming care. The study was informed methodologically by an abductive approach to grounded theory, and conceptually by critical resilience and intersectional scholarship. Data collection involved virtual, semi-structured interviews with 35 TGD individuals in two Canadian cities who indicated having experiences of seeking, receiving, and/or providing peer support. Data analysis comprised an iterative, abductive process of cross-referencing participant accounts with relevant scholarship to arrive at an account of how TGD peers may contribute to the growth of gender-affirming care. Our findings suggest, broadly, that TGD peers may enhance gender-affirming care by: (1) validating a growing diversity of embodiments and experiences in healthcare decision-making, (2) nurturing and diversifying relevant networks of safety, community support, and advocacy outside formal systems of care, and (3) strengthening possibilities for resisting and transforming existing healthcare systems. After outlining these findings, we briefly consider the implications of our analysis and leverage our inferences to substantiate the notion of community-driven gender-affirming care, meaning care that is intentional in its incorporation of relevant community stakeholders to shape governance and service provision. We conclude with reflections on the promise of community-driven care at a time of heightened volatility across systems serving TGD populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kia
- School of Social Work, The University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - K A Kenney
- School of Social Work, The University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alex Abramovich
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | - Rod Knight
- École de Santé Publique, Université de Montréal, Canada
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Lacombe-Duncan A, Hughson L, Kay ES, Duncan S, Willbrandt C. Peer-based interventions to support transgender and gender diverse people's health and healthcare access: A scoping review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRANSGENDER HEALTH 2023; 25:321-351. [PMID: 39055627 PMCID: PMC11268238 DOI: 10.1080/26895269.2023.2232353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Background: Pervasive health and healthcare disparities experienced by transgender (trans) and gender diverse (TGD) people require innovative solutions. Peer-based interventions may address disparities, and are an approach endorsed by TGD communities. However, the scope of the literature examining peer-based interventions to address health and healthcare access inclusive of TGD people is uncharted. Aim: This scoping review aimed to understand the extent of the literature about peer-based interventions conducted with and/or inclusive of TGD populations; specifically, study participants (e.g. sociodemographics), study designs/outcomes, intervention components (e.g. facilitator characteristics), and intervention effectiveness. Methods: Underpinned by Arksey and O'Malley's framework: (1) identifying the research question; (2) identifying studies; (3) study selection; (4) charting data; and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results, eligible studies were identified, charted, and thematically analyzed. Databases (e.g. ProQuest) and snowball searching were utilized to identify peer-reviewed literature published within 15 years of February 2023. Extracted data included overarching study characteristics (e.g. author[s]), methodological characteristics (e.g. type of research), intervention characteristics (e.g. delivery modality), and study findings. Results: Thirty-six eligible studies documented in 38 peer-reviewed articles detailing 40 unique peer-based interventions were identified. Forty-four percent (n = 16/36) of studies took place in United States (U.S.) urban centers. Over half (n = 23/40, 58%) focused exclusively on TGD people, nearly three-quarters of which (n = 17/23, 74%) focused exclusively on trans women/transfeminine people. Ninety-two percent (n = 33/36) included quantitative methods, of which 30% (n = 10/33) were randomized controlled trials. HIV was a primary focus (n = 30/36, 83.3%). Few interventions discussed promotion of gender affirmation for TGD participants. Most studies showed positive impacts of peer-based intervention. Discussion: Although promising in their effectiveness, limited peer-based interventions have been developed and/or evaluated that are inclusive of gender-diverse TGD people (e.g. trans men and nonbinary people). Studies are urgently need that expand this literature beyond HIV to address holistic needs and healthcare barriers among TGD communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Lacombe-Duncan
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Women’s College Hospital, Women’s College Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luna Hughson
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Allen BJ, Stratman ZE, Kerr BR, Zhao Q, Moreno MA. Problematic Internet Use and Technology Interactions Among Transgender Adolescents. Transgend Health 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/trgh.2021.0169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brittany J. Allen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Zoe E. Stratman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bradley R. Kerr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Qianqian Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Megan A. Moreno
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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MacKinnon KR, Kia H, Lacombe-Duncan A. Examining TikTok's Potential for Community-Engaged Digital Knowledge Mobilization With Equity-Seeking Groups. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e30315. [PMID: 34889739 PMCID: PMC8704107 DOI: 10.2196/30315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Social media is increasingly being leveraged by researchers to engage in public debates and rapidly disseminate research results to health care providers, health care users, policy makers, educators, and the general public. This paper contributes to the growing literature on the use of social media for digital knowledge mobilization, drawing particular attention to TikTok and its unique potential for collaborative knowledge mobilization with underserved communities who experience barriers to health care and health inequities (eg, equity-seeking groups). Setting the TikTok platform apart from other social media are the unique audiovisual video editing tools, together with an impactful algorithm, that make knowledge dissemination and exchange with large global audiences possible. As an example, we will discuss digital knowledge mobilization with trans and nonbinary (trans) communities, a population that experiences barriers to health care and is engaged in significant peer-to-peer health information sharing on the web. To demonstrate, analytics data from 13 selected TikTok videos on the topic of research on gender-affirming medicine (eg, hormonal therapy and surgeries) are presented to illustrate how knowledge is disseminated within the trans community via TikTok. Considerations for researchers planning to use TikTok for digital knowledge mobilization and other related community engagement with equity-seeking groups are also discussed. These include the limitations of TikTok analytics data for measuring knowledge mobilization, population-specific concerns related to community safety on social media, the spread of disinformation, barriers to internet access, and commercialization and intellectual property issues. This paper concludes that TikTok is an innovative social media platform that presents possibilities for achieving transformative, community-engaged knowledge mobilization among researchers, underserved health care users, and their health care providers, all of whom are necessary to achieve better health care and population health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannah Kia
- School of Social Work, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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