“I’m Always Worried”: Exploring Perceptions of Safety and Community Inclusion Among Transgender People

Abstract

Transgender (trans) people (including non-binary persons) experience high rates of violence and discrimination regarding their gender identity and expression, necessitating a deeper understanding of trans peoples’ perceptions of safety within their communities and their perspectives on well-being. The purpose of this study was to gather insight into the perceptions of safety and community inclusion among trans people, through the lens of Meyer’s Minority Stress Model. Thirty-three trans individuals residing in a mid-sized urban and rural region, 100 kms west of Toronto, Canada, were interviewed for a larger study focused on experiences of discrimination. For this paper, we conducted a thematic analysis using NVivo (version 12), that included 18 participants from the larger study, including trans men, trans women, and non-binary individuals. Both experiences of prejudice and anticipations of prejudice resulted in participants feeling unsafe. This negatively affected their well-being, consistent with Meyer’s Minority Stress Model. Additionally, we found that environments absent of prejudice or considered supportive, such as places participants received social gender affirmation and LGBT-connectedness, fostered feelings of safety and positive well-being. Our study indicates a need to address not only the external events of prejudice towards trans people, but also the stress associated with the anticipation of prejudice.