dc.contributor.author | Horley, Nicola Joanne | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2013-11-01T14:33:49Z | |
dc.date.available | 2013-11-01T14:33:49Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2013-10-14 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2299/11958 | |
dc.description.abstract | BACKGROUND: Gender Variance (GV) is an experience that the gender assigned at
birth is different to one’s preferred gender identity. It includes the possibility of a
preferred gender identity being different to either male or female. It is reported that
around 4000 people per year access care from the NHS in relation to GV (Gender
Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES), 2009) and both the physical and
psychological elements of these experiences is well documented. However, little
research specifically explores how Gender Variant (GVt) people make sense of their
experiences and construct meaningful expression of their preferred identity. The
aim of this study is to further the understanding of GV with a view to considering the
implications for service provision to this population.
METHODOLOGY: The study employed a qualitative method that explored the
narratives of the participants. A purposive sample of seven participants self
identified as GVt was recruited for a single interview. The interviews used a topic
guide to elicit the narratives that these people tell about their experiences. All
interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a narrative
approach to explore what the participants said and the way they said it. This was
then situated within the local and broader social contexts within which the narratives
exist.
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: The findings are presented through a global impression of
each of the individual narratives and then through discussion of the similarities and
differences in relation to the collective storylines. Particular attention is paid to the
identity construction and the emotional experiences that take place during the
interviews. These two elements are told within and through each of the storylines.
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The local and wider narratives available to the participants are used to contextualise
the analysis and findings, and so are reported within the analysis. The analysis offers
the following findings:
i) their first experiences of understanding GV was important, leading them
to find others who felt the same to gain a sense of hope of a normal life
ii) sharing their experiences with others was an anxiety provoking time and
was part of a decision making process about treatment and establishing
an acceptable gender expression
iii) relationships with family, friends, peers and members of their social
context influence sense making and identity constructions of GVt people
and typify the challenges faced within their GVt experiences. Some of
these challenges were reported as ongoing and illustrated throughout the
stories of the day to day lives of the participants
iv) for these participants distressing emotional challenges were often
situated in the past and participants spoke of ‘overcoming’ challenges.
This offered a counter to the more dominant isolation and loneliness
narratives within the literature on GVt experiences
The findings of the study are discussed in relation to its clinical implications, the
strengths and limitations of the methodology, and directions for future research. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | University of Hertfordshire | en_US |
dc.rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess | en_US |
dc.subject | Gender Variance | en_US |
dc.subject | Transgender | en_US |
dc.subject | Narrative Inquiry | en_US |
dc.subject | Narrative Analysis | en_US |
dc.subject | Gender Queer | en_US |
dc.subject | Identity | en_US |
dc.subject | Blurred gender | en_US |
dc.subject | Gender Atypical | en_US |
dc.title | Journeys Towards an Acceptable Gender Expression: Narratives of People Living With Gender Variance | en_US |
dc.type | info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis | en_US |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.18745/th.11958 | |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.18745/th.11958 | |
dc.type.qualificationlevel | Doctoral | en_US |
dc.type.qualificationname | DClinPsy | en_US |
herts.preservation.rarelyaccessed | true | |