Transgendering care: Practices of care within transgender communities

• Published in: Critical social policy Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 462 - 486
• Main Author: Hines, Sally
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England Sage Publications 01.11.2007
• Subjects: Caregivers; Ethics; Identity; Intimacy; Self Help; Self Help Groups; Selfhelp groups; Social Groups; Social Support; Support groups; Transsexuality; social movements; self-help groups; gender; sexuality; support groups
• ISSN: 0261-0183; 1461-703X
• DOI: 10.1177/0261018307081808

This paper examines practices of care within transgender support and self-help groups. Its aim is to widen the focus of work into practices and meanings of care by bringing an under-researched social group to the analysis of caring practices. The paper draws on qualitative research data to substantively explore transgender practices of care in relation to support groups and self-help organizations. Findings indicate that care is identified as a key value within transgender movements and education is articulated as an `ethic of care'. Critiques are brought to bear on medical understandings and systems of care, and transgender communities develop distinct practices of care based on notions of `shared understanding' and `giving back' to communities, which fill the gaps left by professional care services. Yet involvement in transgender communities is divergently situated in relation to politics of transgender identity and visibility. In conclusion I suggest that an analysis of transgender practices of care is not only important in relation to issues of social inclusion, citizenship and welfare provision, but is key to sociological understandings of the diversity of shifting practices of identity, intimacy and care in contemporary society.