Publication Date

2008

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Abstract

Subjective gender experiences for post-operative trans-individuals were investigated in this study to empirically assess participants' current sense of a match or a lack of a match between their present biological sex and their gender identity. Survey Monkey, an internet site for collection and analysis of responses to survey questions, was used to gather demographic information from 18 respondents and to answer the study questions about post-surgical congruence or incongruence. The responses generated themes of belonging or lack of belonging that lumped together in three categories through which the data was analyzed: A) the individual's relationship to self, B) their relationship to others (which includes personal safety concerns), and C) their relationship to their body (including sexuality). Social work practitioners must listen for these themes of belonging in the narratives of trans-clients in order to provide mirroring of experiences that are neglected in most other areas of trans-individuals' lives.

Comments

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. iii, 71 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-47)

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