Gender Minority Stress: A Critical Review

• Published in: Journal of homosexuality Vol. 67; no. 10; pp. 1471 - 1489
• Main Authors: Tan, Kyle K. H., Treharne, Gareth J., Ellis, Sonja J., Schmidt, Johanna M., Veale, Jaimie F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 23.08.2020; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Cisgender; cisnormativity; Ethnicity; Gender; gender diverse; gender minority stress; Gender relations; Health disparities; Health problems; Health research; Intersectionality; Mental disorders; Mental health; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Protective factors; Research applications; Stress; Transgender persons; Transgender; gender diverse; gender minority stress; cisnormativity; intersectionality
• ISSN: 0091-8369; 1540-3602
• DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1591789

Past studies that compare cisgender to transgender (or trans) and gender diverse people have found a higher prevalence of mental health problems among the latter groups. This article uses Testa's gender minority stress framework, which is an expansion of minority stress theory, to assess minority stressors that are specific to the experiences of trans and gender diverse people. The concept of cisnormativity, an ideology that positions cisgender identities as a norm, is used in relation to the gender minority stress framework to describe the marginalizing nature of social environments for trans and gender diverse people. This article provides a critical review that integrates and expands on past theoretical perspectives on gender minority stressors and protective factors. Specifically, this article demonstrates the relevance of cultural and ethnic backgrounds to complement the application of intersectionality in research on health disparities experienced by trans and gender diverse people.