Seth T. Pardo

Transgender Experience and Identity

In this chapter, we review and critique how conventional models of gender and sexual identity development have represented the experiences of transgender individuals, and we argue for an expanded model of transgender identity development which can accommodate the diversity of their lived realities. Transgender is a broad category typically used to denote any individual whose gender identity or presentation either violates conventional conceptualizations of “male” or “female” or mixes different aspects of male and female role and identity. Despite increasing social scientific acknowledgment and investigation of transgender experience, most contemporary perspectives presume that the primary identity dilemma for transgender individuals is a conflict between one’s psychological gender and one’s biological sex, such that the normative and healthy endpoint of transgender identity development is the achievement of a stable, integrated, unambiguous identification as 100% male or 100% female, often achieved via some form of physical transformation aimed at bringing one’s psychological gender and one’s physical gender presentation into alignment. Yet there is increasing evidence that such dichotomous models of gender fail to accommodate the true complexity and diversity of transgender experience. Hence, in this chapter we argue for broader, more flexible models of gender identity development among transgender individuals which can accommodate the fact that for some of these individuals, identity development will have a linear trajectory leading to a singular outcome, whereas for others, identity development may be a recursive process that accommodates multiple and shifting identity states over time. We explore the implications of such an expanded model of identity development for clinical practice and intervention with transgender individuals.

Hysterectomy and Oophorectomy Experiences of Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals

ABSTRACT This study surveyed 134 female-to-male transgendered individuals (FtMs) in order to obtain information about their experience of hysterectomy and oophorectomy. The survey was designed to explore motivation for undergoing surgery, access to care, surgical complications, postoperative changes, and use of standards of care. The survey was distributed at transgender conferences and online via transgender email lists and Web sites. Results demonstrated a wide range of postoperative experiences. Common motives for the surgery were to remove organs that were incongruent with the individuals identity (58%) and also concern about the potential for future medical problems associated with masculinizing hormone therapy (60%). Many sources advocate lowering testosterone after oophorectomy, yet our data reveal that virtually equal numbers of individuals increased (23%) or decreased (25%) testosterone levels postoperatively, and nearly twice as many maintained the same dose (44%). For many respondents hysterectomy and oophorectomy came before a year of living full-time in their preferred gender role (34%), before a full year on hormones (41%), or chest reconstruction (54%). This not only reflects the diversity of experience in this population but also has implications for the relevance and implementation of the Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders.

Sexual and Gender Prejudice

Sexual prejudice is defined by Herek (2000, p. 19) as “all negative attitudes based on sexual orientation, whether the target is homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual.”

Are rash impulsive and reward sensitive traits distinguishable? A test in young adults

Adolescents and young adults are characterized as prone to risky behavior with a wide range of traits identified as predictors of individual differences in this behavior. Here we test a crucial difference between traits that reflect rash impulsivity, the tendency to engage in risky behavior without consideration of consequences, versus reward sensitivity, the tendency to be attracted to novel and rewarding experience. To test the validity of this distinction, we examined the factorial structure of eight risk-related traits in a sample of 899 18 to 22 year-olds. We predicted that rash impulsive traits would be separable in structure from reward sensitive traits and would uniquely predict relatively maladaptive risk-taking (e.g., drug use). In addition, we predicted that reward sensitive traits would be related to both adaptive (e.g., entering competitions) and maladaptive risk behaviors. Results revealed a factorial structure that distinguished these traits, with rash impulsive and reward sensitive traits uniquely predictive of different forms of risk-taking. The results suggest that it is possible to distinguish traits that reflect these two forms of risk-taking with implications for the measurement and interpretation of risk propensities in youth.

Decision Making (Individuals)

Initial theories described decision making as a psychophysical process. Modern approaches, however, take into account factors such as emotion and intuition. Any theory of decision making must explain such phenomena as framing effects, temporal discounting, numeracy, and cognitive reflection. Recent research has identified developmental differences in how children, adolescents, and adults make decisions, particularly those involving risks. In addition, recent research on emotion and the neuroscience of decision making has suggested neural hypotheses for the role of reward circuitry and cognitive control in decision making.