Examining the Experience of Trans Identity and Gender Transition through the Lens of Cisgender Siblings: A Phenomenological Investigation by Sasha Davis M.A., Simon Fraser University, 2013 B.A. (Hons.), Huron University College, 2008 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Sasha Davis 2018 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2018 Copyright in this work rests with the author. Please ensure that any reproduction or re-use is done in accordance with the relevant national copyright legislation. Approval Name: Sasha Davis Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) Title: Examining the Experience of Trans Identity and Gender Transition through the Lens of Cisgender Siblings: A Phenomenological Investigation Examining Committee: Chair: Gordon Rose Senior Lecturer Robert Ley Senior Supervisor Associate Professor David Cox Supervisor Associate Professor Jeff Sugarman Supervisor Professor Faculty of Education Wallace Wong Supervisor Registered Psychologist Child and Youth Mental Health Services BC Ministry of Children and Family Development Lucy LeMare Internal Examiner Professor Faculty of Education Hilary Rose External Examiner Associate Professor Department of Applied Human Sciences Concordia University Date Defended/Approved: November 5, 2018 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract Previous research on the transitioning process has focused on the experiences of transgender/gender nonbinary individuals and their parents, paying limited attention to the trans persons’ siblings. The purpose of this study was to examine how youth and young adults experience a trans sibling's gender identity and transition. Using qualitative methodology, eleven cisgender participants (M = 17.9; SD = 4.9; range = 14 to 34 years old) were individually interviewed in medium- and large-sized Canadian cities. Interview topics included: the participant’s role in their sibling’s transition; the impact of the transition on the participant and their family and peer relationships; and the participant’s attitudes toward services aimed at supporting themselves through their sibling’s transition. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Ten participants completed member checking procedures to verify the accuracy of the data. Participants described wide-ranging emotional responses and overall positive attitudes toward their sibling’s trans identity and transition. Participants highlighted the importance of demonstrating to their trans sibling respect, compassion, and support. The adjustment process by the immediate family unit was regarded as manageable overall. Challenging interpersonal dynamics involving participants’ parents, extended family members, peers, and other extra familial individuals were discussed. Perspectives on the value and preferred type of structured support for siblings of trans individuals varied across participants. These findings provide novel insight into the lived experiences of siblings of trans people, thereby enriching our understanding of the transition process as experienced by the collective family unit. Study findings offer practical guidance for trans individuals, their parents, siblings, and clinicians. Strategies to improve support programs for trans individuals and their family members are addressed. Keywords: transgender; nonbinary; gender transition; siblings; family relationships; qualitative iv Acknowledgements Thank you to the study participants, whose stories are at the very heart of this project. To each participant: Thank you for sharing your experiences and reflections with such openness, focus, and depth. I hope readers learn from you as much as I have learned from speaking and working with you. It was really a privilege. Thank you to my supervisory committee for their immense support, particularly from my senior supervisor, Dr. Bob Ley, who offered encouragement and sage practical advice when I needed it most. I am so grateful for his open-minded guidance, kindness, and curiosity. I owe much of my understanding of qualitative inquiry to Dr. Jeff Sugarman, whose commitment to methodological integrity helped to guide the study design and data analysis. Dr. Sugarman took the time to offer consultation and thought- provoking insights at all stages of this project. I am also thankful to Dr. David Cox, who was a constant source of warmth and enthusiasm, and provided me perceptive feedback. Thank you to Dr. Wallace Wong for helping to get this project off the ground and for his clinical expertise in mental health among transgender and non-binary young people and their families. Thank you to Dr. Lucy Le Mare for serving as internal examiner, and to Dr. Hilary Rose for travelling from Montreal to serve as external examiner; both carefully reviewed this dissertation, offered thoughtful recommendations, and contributed to an engaging, collegial, and memorable defence. I would like to thank Child and Youth Mental Health Services, a branch of the Ministry of Children and Family Development of British Columbia, for supporting this research. I would especially like to thank the clinicians of the Surrey-Newton office, where this project came into fruition. This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. I am very grateful for their support of my research and doctoral training. Thank you to my family, particularly my parents, grandparents, and brother for their love, encouragement, and interest in my studies. A special thank you to my dear friends, Dr. Michael Grossman and Dr. Jacqueline Willinsky, for supporting me with wholehearted encouragement from a place of genuine understanding. v Table of Contents Approval .......................................................................................................................... ii Ethics Statement ............................................................................................................ iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Roles and relationships between siblings ............................................................. 2 1.2. Sibling relationships within the family unit ............................................................. 3 1.3. Defining gender terminology and its use in the current report ............................... 5 1.4. Prevalence of transgender and gender-variant identities ...................................... 8 1.5. Possible components and trajectories of transitioning ........................................... 9 1.6. Minority stress and social stigma ........................................................................ 12 1.7. Mental health risks among transgender youth and young adults ......................... 14 1.8. The transition process and mental health ........................................................... 15 1.9. The role of social and family support in the wellbeing of trans youth and young adults .................................................................................................................. 17 1.10. Emotional reactions to a family member’s gender transition ............................ 19 1.11. Cisnormativity as a family stressor .................................................................. 21 1.12. Current perspectives on the experiences of siblings of transgender individuals ....................................................................................................... 22 1.13. Rationale for the current study in light of previous literature ............................ 24 Chapter 2. Methods .................................................................................................. 26 2.1. Theoretical orientation ........................................................................................ 26 2.1.1. Hermeneutic phenomenology ...................................................................... 26 2.1.2. The dialogical self ........................................................................................ 27 2.1.3. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model ......................................................... 28 2.1.4. A trans-affirmative perspective .................................................................... 29 2.1.5. A reflexive position to the data ..................................................................... 30 2.2. Reflexivity statement........................................................................................... 31 2.3. Research design ................................................................................................. 33 2.4. Research collaboration with Child and Youth Mental Health Services BC and study origins ....................................................................................................... 34 2.5. Study locations ................................................................................................... 34 2.6. Eligibility criteria .................................................................................................