The Stress of Being Transgender
Justin Rogols
Hi friends,
The following is a blog post I wrote that was originally published on the Ohio State University College of Nursing’s Stress Science blog. Unfortunately, OSU decided to discontinue and remove the blog very soon after it was created. I hope it will find a new life and be helpful here.
Be well,
~Tyler
Most of us experience stress on a daily basis.
It’s a biological process that evolved to help us survive being chased by bears and saber tooth tigers. Now we have different stressors. And more and more evidence is telling us that Transgender persons experience additional kinds of stress with serious implications for health and well-being.
Full disclosure: I’m not a Transgender person, so I don’t have the experiences of those who are part of the a Transgender community. I’m a white, cisgender, gay man who believes that each person deserves to be treated with respect. I’m also a mental health counselor who often works with Transgender persons.
It is important to know that the mental health, career, and financial outcomes for Trans folks are often significantly worse than those of cisgender persons, even when compared with other marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community. So what can Transgender persons do to help cope with their unique stressors? And, perhaps more importantly, what can the rest of us do to help?
It's All of Us
Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, have a friend or family member who is Trans, or want to know more and be supportive, it’s important to understand that not every Trans person is currently experiencing Gender Dysphoria. Similarly, being Transgender is not a disability. These are, unfortunately, pretty common misconceptions, and given that medical care of Trans persons hasn’t always been well-informed, I can sort of understand why. What is true is that unique social stressors like violence, transphobia, and stigma have a strong impact on the stress and mental health outcomes of Trans persons. Trans persons have greater visibility now than in the past, but available support resources for their benefit aren’t much improved. This leaves Transgender persons more exposed and more vulnerable to threats than ever before.
In short, when Trans people struggle for reasons related to their Trans-ness, it’s the rest of us who are often causing it. Even our own good-natured ignorance can be isolating. One thing that I think gay people and Trans people have in common is that we’re both part of a minority group that few of our family members are likely to fully understand. Trans persons become responsible for explaining, educating, and making us feel better about their existence, and that burden is draining.
We all need community and acceptance. It’s important that we create space for our friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, and families that is inclusive. The lasting nature of this kind of stress, of isolation, invalidation, violence, transphobia, and stigma, makes it more likely to turn from everyday stress to chronic or toxic stress. And those are the kinds of stress that are damaging to our physical and mental health.
Local perspectives
Some colleagues and I recently collaborated with the non-profit TransOhio to conduct a Trans community needs assessment in Central Ohio. We learned a lot of important things about the overall wellness of Trans persons in our community. But one thing that was strikingly clear was that an overwhelming number of respondents stated that political discourse about Transgender individuals was a major concern in their lives. Events like the ban on Transgender troops serving in the military are a reminder that Trans persons are rarely welcomed into public spaces, and often are the targets of open discrimination.
Feedback on this topic seemed to be unrelated to age, education, or racial/ethnic identity. Several respondents further stated that they were physically threatened or were victims of violence in their community. When asked, Trans persons are clear about it. They sincerely don’t feel safe. And that threat of intimidation or violence can lead to toxic stress that damages physical and mental health.
The good news: support helps
I know this paints a pretty bleak picture about the current state of things. But I’m a realist and I believe that things often get worse before they get better. And I believe they can get better.
The good news is that in addition to all the good stress management techniques that apply generally to most humans, Trans persons can specifically benefit from increased social support. Humans are social critters by nature, and we feel better about ourselves and our safety when we’re loved, understood, accepted, and have a genuine sense of belonging. Support from other Trans persons and allies can reduce the impact of social stressors to help fight chronic and toxic stress.
The results of our Transgender community needs assessment highlighted the need for additional Trans spaces, networks, and routes to advocacy. When asked what they would like to see at future wellness events, 73% of respondents selected that they would appreciate more peer support resources, groups, or community organizations. The second most endorsed option was advocacy groups, selected by 58% of respondents, and the fourth most selected option was support resources for family and friends, selected by 56% of respondents. These options even outweighed the need for medical resources, which reaffirms for me that the central stressor of being Trans is social in nature.
What you can do
The most important thing you can do is to show support for Transgender persons in your community, at work, school, and in other public spaces. Communicate openly and respectfully. Instead of using the name and pronouns of their gender assigned at birth, use their correct name and the pronouns. Do what you can do to make Transgender persons feel safe and reduce the social stressors that members of the Transgender community are very often encountering. Then go one step further and help remove some of that social stress by supporting the Ohio Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill which would protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from employment and housing discrimination. You can learn more about the bill here (link) or contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to give the bill more hearings and a vote here:
If you’re a health care provider, consider a little extra training or extracurricular reading about providing competent care to Transgender persons. Try contacting your professional organization, or check out the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care here:
Healthcare providers can also attend the 2020 Transforming Care Conference, a virtual event held this year on October 14-16, hosted by the Equitas Health Institute. Learn more about it here:
https://equitashealthinstitute.com/conferences/2020tc/
If you’re a health care provider, or an ally in the Central Ohio area, consider attending events hosted by TransOhio, including their annual Trans & Ally Symposium. CEU’s are available for provider sessions, so it’s a win all around. Learn more about TransOhio here: