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Identifying and Navigating Social and Institutional Challenges of Transgender Children and Families

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Abstract

The purpose of this article is to highlight the voices and lived experiences of four families and their transgender children (male to female). The methodology consists of a qualitative case study approach and ethnographic research methods over the course of 1 year. With a focus on mezzo and macro-level issues, the results of this article illustrate some of the ways that these families navigate their child’s transition, the social challenges that they experience from a society that adheres to the gender binary, and institutional challenges that this community faces in the realms of education, religion, medicine, and mental health. A discussion follows of the ways in which social workers can promote the health, happiness and the well-being of gender-variant children and their families within the community. We conclude with advocating for re-conceptualizing rigid and binary definitions of gender and challenging institutions that perpetuate oppression against trans children and their families.

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This research did not receive any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA

    Moshoula Capous-Desyllas & Cecillia Barron

Authors
  1. Moshoula Capous-Desyllas
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  2. Cecillia Barron
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Correspondence to Moshoula Capous-Desyllas.

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Moshoula Capous-Desyllas declares that she has no conflict of interest. Cecillia Barron declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent and assent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Capous-Desyllas, M., Barron, C. Identifying and Navigating Social and Institutional Challenges of Transgender Children and Families. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 34, 527–542 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-017-0491-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-017-0491-7

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