Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Jun 1;68(11-12):675-689.
doi: 10.1007/s11199-012-0216-5.

Gender Affirmation: A Framework for Conceptualizing Risk Behavior among Transgender Women of Color

Jae M Sevelius  1
Affiliations

Gender Affirmation: A Framework for Conceptualizing Risk Behavior among Transgender Women of Color

Jae M Sevelius. Sex Roles. .

Abstract

Experiences of stigma, discrimination, and violence as well as extreme health disparities and high rates of sexual risk behavior and substance use have been well-documented among transgender women of color. Using an intersectional approach and integrating prominent theories from stigma, eating disorders, and HIV-related research, this article offers a new framework for conceptualizing risk behavior among transgender women of color, specifically sexual risk behavior and risky body modification practices. This framework is centered on the concept of 'gender affirmation,' the process by which individuals are affirmed in their gender identity through social interactions. Qualitative data from 22 interviews with transgender women of color from the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States are analyzed and discussed in the context of the gender affirmation framework.

Keywords: gender affirmation; race; risk behavior; sexuality; stigma; transgender identity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Gender affirmation framework for conceptualizing risk behavior among transwomen of color.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ainsworth T, Spiegel J. Quality of life of individuals with and without facial feminization surgery or gender reassignment surgery. Quality of Life Research. 2010;19:1019–1024. - PubMed
    1. Ålgars M, Santtila P, Sandnabba N. Conflicted Gender Identity, Body Dissatisfaction, and Disordered Eating in Adult Men and Women. Sex Roles. 2010;63:118–125.
    1. Barrientos J, Silva J, Catalan S, Gómez F, Longueira J. Discrimination and Victimization: Parade for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride, in Chile. Journal of Homosexuality. 2010;57:760–775. - PubMed
    1. Bauer G, Hammond R, Travers R, Kaay M, Hohenadel K, Boyce M. "I don't think this is theoretical; this is our lives": How erasure impacts health care for transgender people. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. 2009;20:348–361. - PubMed
    1. Bockting W. Transgender identity and HIV: Resilience in the face of stigma. Focus: A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling. 2008;23(2):1–4. - PubMed