Misgendering negatively affects the mental and physical health of trans individuals
Misgendering occurs when a person is addressed or described using language that does not match their gender identity.1 Misgendering within the health care system can significantly affect the mental and physical health of transgender (hereafter trans) individuals and can negatively impact future engagement with the health care system. Systemic policies and practices create situations which increase the likelihood of misgendering and experience of stigma, affecting the delivery of health care to trans individuals.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Gavriel Ansara Y. Inclusive language guide: respecting people of intersex, trans and gender diverse experience. Sydney: National LGBTI Health Alliance, 2013. https://lgbtihealth.org.au/sites/default/files/Alliance%20Health%20Information%20Sheet%20Inclusive%20Language%20Guide%20on%20Intersex%2C%20Trans%20and%20Gender%20Diversity_0.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 2. Australian Government Attorney‐General's Department. Australian Government guidelines on the recognition of sex and gender. Updated Nov 2015. Canberra: Australian Government, 2013. https://www.ag.gov.au/Publications/Documents/AustralianGovernmentGuidelinesontheRecognitionofSexandGender/AustralianGovernmentGuidelinesontheRecognitionofSexandGender.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 3. Coleman E, Bockting W, Botzer M, et al. Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender and gender nonconforming people, version 7. Int J Transgend 2012; 13: 165–232.
- 4. Living Proud. Opening Closets Mental Health Training: glossary of terms. Perth: Living Proud LGBTI Community Services of WA, 2016. http://www.livingproud.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/OCMH-Glossary-A5.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 5. Bouman WP, Schwend AS, Motmans J, et al. Language and trans health. Int J Transgend 2017; 18: 1–6.
- 6. Smith E, Jones T, Ward R, et al. From blues to rainbows: the mental health and well‐being of gender diverse and transgender young people in Australia. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, 2014. https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/research-project-files/bw0268-from-blues-to-rainbows-report-final-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2 (viewed June 2019).
- 7. Poteat T, German D, Kerrigan D. Managing uncertainty: a grounded theory of stigma in transgender health care encounters. Soc Sci Med 2013; 84: 22–29.
- 8. Strauss PC, Winter S, Watson V, et al. Trans pathways: the mental health experiences and care pathways of trans young people. Summary of results. Perth: Telethon Kids Institute, 2017. https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/brain-behaviour/trans-pathwayreport-web.pdf (viewed June 2019).
- 9. Deutsch M, editor. Guidelines for the primary and gender‐affirming care of transgender and gender nonbinary people. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, University of California, 2016. https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines (viewed June 2019).
- 10. Bauer GR, Hammond R, Travers R, et al. “I don't think this is theoretical; this is our lives”: how erasure impacts health care for transgender people. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care 2009; 20: 348–361.
- 11. White Hughto JM, Reisner SL, Pachankis JE. Transgender stigma and health: a critical review of stigma determinants, mechanisms and interventions. Soc Sci Med 2015; 147: 222–231.
- 12. Hendricks ML, Testa RJ. A conceptual framework for clinical work with transgender and gender non‐conforming clients: an adaptation of the minority stress model. Prof Psychol Res Pract 2012; 43: 460–467.
- 13. Cruz TM. Assessing access to care for transgender and gender nonconforming people: a consideration of diversity in combating discrimination. Soc Sci Med 2014; 110: 65–73.
- 14. Australian Human Rights Commission. Sex files: the legal recognition of sex in documents and government records. Sydney: AHRC, 2009. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/lgbti/publications/sex-files-legal-recognition-sex-documents-and-government-records (viewed June 2019).
- 15. Cabral Grinspan M, Carpenter M, Ehrt J, et al. The Yogyakarta Principles plus 10: additional principles and state obligations on the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics to complement the Yogyakarta principles. Geneva: Yogyakarta Principles, 2017. http://yogyakartaprinciples.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/A5_yogyakartaWEB-2.pdf (viewed June 2019).
Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.
Ashleigh Lin is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship (1148793).
No relevant disclosures.