“You look good, I would never tell you are trans!”: A Narrative Review on Microaggressions against Transgender People
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19245/25.05.pij.4.1.2Keywords:
microaggression, clinical practice, mental health professionals, sexual minorities, discriminationAbstract
The present article reviews research conducted in the last decade on microaggressions toward transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals. In Western culture, overt forms of discrimination have become increasingly less accepted, leaving space for more subtle forms of discrimination. Microaggressions are subtle day-to-day discriminations that are particularly detrimental for psychological health and well-being. After a brief introduction to the key concepts of microaggression theorisation, the present work aims to provide an overview of existing literature that examined TGNC experiences with microaggressions. Implications for psychological work with TGNC people are discussed.
References
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Anzani, A., Prunas, A., and Sacchi, S. (2019, in press), “Facing Transgender and Cisgender Patients: The Influence of the Client’s Experienced Gender and Gender Identity on Clinical Evaluation”, Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
Bockting, W.O., Miner, M.H., Swinburne Romine, R.E., Hamilton, A., and Coleman, E. (2013), “Stigma, Mental Health, and Resilience in an Online Sample of the US Transgender Population”, American Journal of Public Health, 103 (5): 943–951.
Budge, S.L., Adelson, J.L., and Howard, K.A. (2013), “Anxiety and Depression in Transgender Individuals: The Roles of Transition Status, Loss, Social Support, and Coping”, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81 (3): 545–557.
Chang, T.K., and Chung, Y.B. (2015), “Transgender Microaggressions: Complexity of the Heterogeneity of Transgender Identities”, Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 9 (3): 217–234.
Cole, E.R. (2009), “Intersectionality and Research in Psychology”, American Psychologist, 64 (3): 170–180.
Galupo, M.P., Henise, S.B., and Davis, K.S. (2014), “Transgender Microaggressions in the Context of Friendship: Patterns of Experience Across Friends’ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1 (4): 461–470.
Nadal, K.L. (2013), That’s So Gay! Microaggressions and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Nadal, K.L., Davidoff, K.C., Davis, L.S., and Wong, Y. (2014), “Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Reactions to Microaggressions: Transgender Perspectives”, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1 (1): 72–81.
Nadal, K.L., Davidoff, K.C., Davis, L.S., Wong, Y., Marshall, D., and McKenzie, V. (2015), “Intersectional Identities and Microaggressions: Influences of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion”, Qualitative Psychology, 2 (2): 147–163.
Nadal, K.L., Rivera, D.P., and Corpus, M.J.H. (2010), “Sexual Orientation and Transgender Microaggressions: Implications for Mental Health and Counseling”, in D.W. Sue (ed.), Microaggressions and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics, and Impact, pp. 217–240, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Nadal, K.L., Whitman, C.N., Davis, L.S., Erazo, T., and Davidson, K.C. (2016), “Microaggressions Toward Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Genderqueer People: A Review of the Literature”, Journal of Sex Research, 53 (4-5): 488–508.
Nadal, K.L., Skolnik, A., and Wong, Y. (2012), “Interpersonal and Systemic Microaggressions Toward Transgender People: Implications for Counseling”, Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 6 (1): 55–82.
Nealy, E.C. (2017), Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition, New York, NY: WW Norton and Company.
Owen, J., Tao, K.W., and Drinane, J.M. (2019), “Microaggressions: Clinical Impact and Psychological Harm”, in G.C. Torino, D.P. Rivera, C.M. Capodilupo, K.L. Nadal, and D.W. Sue (eds), Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications, pp. 67–85, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Pierce, C.M. (1970), “Offensive Mechanisms”, in F.B. Barbour (ed.), The Black ’70’s, pp. 265–282, Boston, MA: Porter Sargent.
Pulice-Farrow, L., Clements, Z.A., and Galupo, M.P. (2017), “Patterns of Transgender Microaggressions in Friendship: The Role of Gender Identity”, Psychology and Sexuality, 8 (3): 189–207.
Sue, D.W., Capodilupo, C.M., Torino, G.C., Bucceri, J.M., Holder, A., Nadal, K.L., and Esquilin, M. (2007), “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice”, American Psychologist, 62 (4): 271–286.
Sue, D.W. (2010), Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation, New York, NY: Wiley.
Tajfel, H. (1978), Differentiation Between Social Groups, San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Tebbe, E.A., and Moradi, B. (2016), “Suicide Risk in Trans Populations: An Application of Minority Stress Theory”, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63 (5): 520–533.
Torino, G.C., Rivera, D.P., Capodilupo, C.M., Nadal, K.L., and Sue D.W. (2019), “Everything You Wanted to Know about Microaggressions but Didn’t Get a Chance to Ask”, in G.C. Torino, D.P. Rivera, C.M. Capodilupo, K.L. Nadal, and D.W. Sue (eds), Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications, pp. 3–15, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Worthen, M.G.F. (2016), “Hetero-Cis-Normativity and the Gendering of Transphobia”, International Journal of Transgenderism, 17 (1): 31–57.
Anzani, A., Prunas, A., and Sacchi, S. (2019, in press), “Facing Transgender and Cisgender Patients: The Influence of the Client’s Experienced Gender and Gender Identity on Clinical Evaluation”, Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
Bockting, W.O., Miner, M.H., Swinburne Romine, R.E., Hamilton, A., and Coleman, E. (2013), “Stigma, Mental Health, and Resilience in an Online Sample of the US Transgender Population”, American Journal of Public Health, 103 (5): 943–951.
Budge, S.L., Adelson, J.L., and Howard, K.A. (2013), “Anxiety and Depression in Transgender Individuals: The Roles of Transition Status, Loss, Social Support, and Coping”, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81 (3): 545–557.
Chang, T.K., and Chung, Y.B. (2015), “Transgender Microaggressions: Complexity of the Heterogeneity of Transgender Identities”, Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 9 (3): 217–234.
Cole, E.R. (2009), “Intersectionality and Research in Psychology”, American Psychologist, 64 (3): 170–180.
Galupo, M.P., Henise, S.B., and Davis, K.S. (2014), “Transgender Microaggressions in the Context of Friendship: Patterns of Experience Across Friends’ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1 (4): 461–470.
Nadal, K.L. (2013), That’s So Gay! Microaggressions and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Nadal, K.L., Davidoff, K.C., Davis, L.S., and Wong, Y. (2014), “Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Reactions to Microaggressions: Transgender Perspectives”, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1 (1): 72–81.
Nadal, K.L., Davidoff, K.C., Davis, L.S., Wong, Y., Marshall, D., and McKenzie, V. (2015), “Intersectional Identities and Microaggressions: Influences of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion”, Qualitative Psychology, 2 (2): 147–163.
Nadal, K.L., Rivera, D.P., and Corpus, M.J.H. (2010), “Sexual Orientation and Transgender Microaggressions: Implications for Mental Health and Counseling”, in D.W. Sue (ed.), Microaggressions and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics, and Impact, pp. 217–240, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Nadal, K.L., Whitman, C.N., Davis, L.S., Erazo, T., and Davidson, K.C. (2016), “Microaggressions Toward Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Genderqueer People: A Review of the Literature”, Journal of Sex Research, 53 (4-5): 488–508.
Nadal, K.L., Skolnik, A., and Wong, Y. (2012), “Interpersonal and Systemic Microaggressions Toward Transgender People: Implications for Counseling”, Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 6 (1): 55–82.
Nealy, E.C. (2017), Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition, New York, NY: WW Norton and Company.
Owen, J., Tao, K.W., and Drinane, J.M. (2019), “Microaggressions: Clinical Impact and Psychological Harm”, in G.C. Torino, D.P. Rivera, C.M. Capodilupo, K.L. Nadal, and D.W. Sue (eds), Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications, pp. 67–85, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Pierce, C.M. (1970), “Offensive Mechanisms”, in F.B. Barbour (ed.), The Black ’70’s, pp. 265–282, Boston, MA: Porter Sargent.
Pulice-Farrow, L., Clements, Z.A., and Galupo, M.P. (2017), “Patterns of Transgender Microaggressions in Friendship: The Role of Gender Identity”, Psychology and Sexuality, 8 (3): 189–207.
Sue, D.W., Capodilupo, C.M., Torino, G.C., Bucceri, J.M., Holder, A., Nadal, K.L., and Esquilin, M. (2007), “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice”, American Psychologist, 62 (4): 271–286.
Sue, D.W. (2010), Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation, New York, NY: Wiley.
Tajfel, H. (1978), Differentiation Between Social Groups, San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Tebbe, E.A., and Moradi, B. (2016), “Suicide Risk in Trans Populations: An Application of Minority Stress Theory”, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63 (5): 520–533.
Torino, G.C., Rivera, D.P., Capodilupo, C.M., Nadal, K.L., and Sue D.W. (2019), “Everything You Wanted to Know about Microaggressions but Didn’t Get a Chance to Ask”, in G.C. Torino, D.P. Rivera, C.M. Capodilupo, K.L. Nadal, and D.W. Sue (eds), Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications, pp. 3–15, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Worthen, M.G.F. (2016), “Hetero-Cis-Normativity and the Gendering of Transphobia”, International Journal of Transgenderism, 17 (1): 31–57.
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Published
2019-11-24
How to Cite
Anzani, A. (2019). “You look good, I would never tell you are trans!”: A Narrative Review on Microaggressions against Transgender People. PuntOorg International Journal, 4(1), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.19245/25.05.pij.4.1.2
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