UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Gender Identity: Pending? Identity Development and Health Care Experiences of Transmasculine/Genderqueer Identified Individuals Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2ph0m6vr Author Schulz, Sarah L. Publication Date 2012 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Gender Identity: Pending? Identity Development and Health Care Experiences of Transmasculine/Genderqueer Identified Individuals By Sarah L. Schulz A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Eileen Gambrill, Chair Professor Lorraine Midanik Professor Kristin Luker Fall 2012 1 Abstract Gender Identity: Pending? Identity development and Healthcare Experiences of Transmasculine/Genderqueer Identified Individuals by Sarah L. Schulz Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare University of California, Berkeley Professor Eileen Gambrill, Chair The purpose of this study was to explore the identity development process and health care experiences of individuals who identify their gender somewhere along the transmasculine spectrum. Historically, researchers and clinicians have viewed the transgender experience through a lens of medical pathologization and have neglected to acknowledge the diverse experiences of those who identify as transmasculine. The current standards of care for accessing transition-related health services require transmasculine individuals to express a narrative of distress in order to gain access to services, which further pathologizes those with complex identities that transcend the traditional categories of “male” and “female”. Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 transmasculine identified individuals. Additionally, results from a pilot study with 15 genderqueer identified individuals supplemented these interview data. The interviews focused on the process of transmasculine identity development and experiences in seeking and receiving health care services across a variety of practice settings. Participants also shared how their interactions with individual health and mental health care providers, organizations, and the larger managed care system impacted (both positively and negatively) their experiences of gender identity development. A number of themes associated with transmasculine identity development were identified. An analysis of these themes revealed that transmasculine identity development is inadequately classified using the DSM model of Gender Identity Disorder. Instead of viewing transmasculine identity as an individual, disordered experience of identity, it is important to incorporate the personal, social, and cultural factors that influence transmasculine identity development. Shifting the focus from viewing transmasculinity solely as an individual problem or disorder may move us closer to the goal of replacing the pathology model with an identity-affirming model of transmasculinity. The results of this research also indicate that various components of health care provision may impact transmasculine identity development. Access to trans-friendly health care organizations and providers, an informed consent model of health care provision, trans-friendly organizational policies, insurance coverage for transgender health needs, and relationship-centered communication with health providers all lend themselves to a positive, affirming experience of identity. i Acknowledgements I would first like to thank the participants in this study for being willing to share the details of their journeys, and for helping me to expand my understanding of the world as I thought I knew it. I would also like to thank my dissertation chair and advisor, Eileen Gambrill, for being an unending source of knowledge, wisdom, and resources throughout my time at Berkeley. I could not have finished this project without her support and guidance. I am also indebted to my committee members, Lorraine Midanik and Kristin Luker, for their words of encouragement and feedback throughout this process. I am truly honored to have had the opportunity to work with such a brilliant group of scholars. To my family, especially my parents, Mary Lou and Jamie Mondine, two of the most hardworking people I know, for inspiring me with their work ethic and for offering me a room at the inn so I could work toward completing my lifelong goal of becoming Dr. Sarah. I would also like express my appreciation to my friends in California for keeping me grounded throughout the long and arduous process of writing a dissertation. Specifically: Tee, for being a consistent source of laughter and good music; Karen (and Bob), for always being there when I desperately needed a break; Julie and the Herrick Crew, for serving as my surrogate family during my time in California; Joe, for his flawless inter-rater reliability skills and unwavering optimism; and Jay, the great love of my life and inspiration for this research. Finally, to Anya, for being the best furry friend I could ever ask for, and for forcing me to (sometimes reluctantly) leave my apartment multiple times a day for much-needed walks around the block. This dissertation is dedicated to Isaac, for inspiring me to make the world a better place in which to live and grow. ii Table of Contents Chapter 1 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM…………………………………………………….1 Key Terminology……………………………………………………………………...….2 Background and Significance…………………………………………………………….3 Prevalence of Gender Variance and Gender Identity Disorder………………...…3 Gender Identity Disorder: A Contested Diagnosis…………………………...….4 Gender Incongruence…………………………………………………………….6 Standards of Care for Medical Treatment of Gender Identity Disorder………….7 Informed Consent Model of Care……………………………………...…………9 Statement of Purpose and Research Questions……………………………………..……9 2 LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………………………………11 Overview of Models of Gender Identity Development…………………………………11 Nature vs. Nurture Debate……………………………………………………………....12 Etiology of Gender Variance……………………………………………………………14 Health, Mental Health, and Social Welfare Needs…………………………………...…17 Transition Related Health Care Needs……………………………………..……17 HIV/AIDS………………………………………………….……………………18 Mental Health………………………………………………………………..….19 Other Social Welfare Needs………………………………………………..……19 Barriers to Accessing Services within Public Welfare System……………………….…19 Provider-related barriers…………………………………………………..…….20 System-related barriers……………………………………………………….…21 Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………………………22 3 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………...……………………23 Overview……………………………………………………………………..…………23 Rationale for Qualitative Research……………………………………………..……….23 Grounded Theory Overview………………………………………………….…………24 Theoretical Underpinnings of Grounded Theory…………………….…………24 Grounded Theory Methods………………………………………..…………….24 Constructivist Grounded Theory………………………………………..………25 Researcher Perspective………………………………………………………….………26 Pilot Study………………………………………………………………………………27 Pilot Study Participants/Sampling………………………………………………27 Pilot Study Sample Characteristics…………………………………………...…27 Pilot Study Findings……………………………………………………….……28 Pilot Study Implications…………………………………………………...……29 Population/Sampling Method………………………………………………………..…30 Sample Description………………………………………………………...……31 Data Collection Procedure………………………………………………………………32 Participant Recruitment…………………………………………………………32 Interview Procedures……………………………………………………………33 Measures…………………………………………………………………...……33 Data Management………………………………………………………….……35 Data Analysis…………………………………………………………....………36 iii Coding and Analysis Procedures……………………………………………………..36 Identity Development Coding…………………………………………..……36 Coding Health Care Experiences………………………………………..……37 Components of Transmasculine Health Care Provision………………………40 Inter-rater Reliability……………………………………………………….…40 Protection of Human Subjects……………………………………….………..41 4 RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………….……43 Transmasculine Identity Development Themes…………...……………………………43 Experiencing Childhood Masculinity……………………………...……………43 “Coming Out”……………………………………………………...……………44 Discovering the Option to “Be Trans”…………………………..………………46 Deciding to Transition…………………………………………..………………48 Post-transition Identity Development……………………..……………………53 Health Care Themes……………………………………………………………………55 Reliance on LGBT Community When Accessing Services…….………………55 Standards of Care vs. Informed Consent………………………….……………58 Organizational Qualities…………………………………...……………………64 Health Insurance Policies……………………………….………………………68 Communication with Providers…………………………………………………70 Model of Transmasculine Health Care Provision…….…………………………77 5 DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………………78 Identity Development…………..….….……………….......……………………………79 Cultural Influences……………...………………………………………………80 Institutional Influences………….………………………………………………81 Organizational Influences………….……………………………………………82 Personal Influences…………………...…………………………………………83 Provider-patient Communication……………..…………………………………83 Implications for Social Work……………………………………………………………86 Areas for Future Research………………………………………………………………87 Limitations………………………………………………………………………………88 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………88 6 REFERENCES……………………...………………………………………………………89 APPENDIX A : RECRUITMENT FLIER……………………………………………………………96 APPENDIX B : BRIEF SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE…………………………………………97