Abigail Johnson
Research Mentor(s): Mel Monier
Department or Program: Department of Communication and Media
Authors: Abigail Johnson, Mel Monier, PhD Candidate
Session: Session 2: 1:00pm-1:50pm
Poster: 21
Abstract
Historically, interactions between transgender communities and the medical field have been a point of tension as the healthcare system has often attempted to pathologize transgender identities. As a result, access to gender-affirming treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender-affirming surgeries has been historically contingent upon the approval of medical professionals, who have withheld significant power over the lives of transgender individuals. Further, the pathologization has led to a hierarchy within and beyond the transgender community known as “transmormativity,” which upholds the false narrative that medical intervention is necessary to be transgender (Johnson, 2016). Lastly, societal stigma perpetuated within the medical community has resulted in discrimination, marginalization, and a lack of adequate healthcare services for transgender people.
Trans masculinity, which is defined as an umbrella term for anyone who self-identifies as a trans man, trans masculine, masculine of center, or masculine-presenting non-binary, has been especially underrepresented in academia. Further, trans masculine pregnancy is under-researched, and when societal systems do not provide adequate inclusion and representation of underrepresented communities, communities often turn inward to share information, resources, and ideas. Thus, the resources that trans masculine folks are using provide important insight into what is helpful for trans masculine communities and what the healthcare system can be doing to best support trans masculine folks through conception, pregnancy, and childbirth. Therefore, I will look into the resources identified by trans masculine folks and interviews previously conducted with trans masculine people who have experienced pregnancy to analyze how they discussed their experiences with the healthcare system and what can be done to support trans masculine individuals best moving forward.
My research investigates trans masculine communities’s interactions with the medical field and how these experiences can be used to guide birth workers and physicians to best support trans masculine patients through conception, pregnancy, and birth. To conduct this research, I will analyze five resources that trans masculine individuals utilized throughout their experiences and five interviews. I will analyze the data through qualitative coding using a codebook designed after familiarizing myself with the data. I will be coding for identity validation and recognition, healthcare provider competency, access to healthcare, institutional policies and practices, social support and advocacy, discrimination and stigma, adaptation of medical protocols, and transnormativity within the medical system. Based on the patterns across the themes, I will analyze my findings to understand better what is and is not supportive of the trans masculine community. The conclusion of my research will critique the healthcare system and guide how healthcare providers can best support trans masculine patients moving forward.
