An eco-developmental framework on the intersectionality of gender and sexual identities in transgender individuals. Issue 3 (3rd July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lindley, Louis M.; Nagoshi, Julie L.; Nagoshi, Craig T.; Hess, Robert; Boscia, Aedan
• Is Part Of: Psychology and sexuality. Volume 12:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 261
• Page End: 278
• Publication Date: 2021-07-03
• Subjects: Transgender men -- gender identity -- sexual identity -- intersectionality -- eco-developmental framework; Sex (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Sex (Psychology); Periodicals; 155.305
• DOI: 10.1080/19419899.2020.1713873
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1941-9899

Abstract

ABSTRACT: For many transgender individuals, researchers, and practitioners, an eco-development framework provides unique insights on the social influences that dynamically interact, influence, conflict, and support each other during the individual's identity development and through their unique transition process. Fourteen transgender individuals were interviewed on how their transition process affects their gender and sexual identity. Guided by content analyses, this study focused on micro, meso, and macro level categories within the eco-developmental model framework that emerged from the data including 1) the micro level influences of embodiment, 2) meso level conflicts between embodiment and romantic partner expectations, and 3) macro level influences of societal gender expectations. This research is unique in exploring transition processes from an eco-developmental model, examining not only the micro level, meso level, and macro level conflicts within the system, but also considering the dynamic interplay of the three levels. The eco-developmental perspective depicts the intersectional effects of transitioning, gender, and sexual identity and allows for a dynamic model of gender and sexual identity development. This model will allow researchers to move past an understanding of transgender identity development as a uniform process that all individuals navigate through and move into an understanding that each individual's identity development is unique but shares overarching themes of interactions that shape identities.