The reality of „trans” people is increasingly visible in our society. The social environment and the values associated with masculinity and femininity greatly influence the quality of life for these individuals.
What is transphobia? The term „transphobia” refers to the deep hatred or aversion towards people who, in various ways, embrace a gender identity different from the one assigned to them socially. It is hatred or aversion towards „trans” people. Trans has become a generic term used to refer to the various forms that a person’s gender experience, expression, and/or identity can take (Gómez, n.d.). The term trans is used to describe those who identify with a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth. The word trans encompasses multiple subcategories that are becoming increasingly visible in our daily lives, such as transexual, transgender, cross-dresser, etc.
„Trans,” Sex, and Gender When we talk about trans people, we often refer to the terms „sex” and „gender” to better understand it:
Sex: Sex is assigned at birth and refers to the biological, physiological, or anatomical components of a person as male or female. It is primarily associated with physical attributes such as chromosomes, hormonal levels, and internal and external anatomy.
Gender: Gender refers to the behaviors and roles that are socially expected and considered appropriate for boys and men, or girls and women. These influence how people act, interact, and feel about themselves. At present, the term „trans” refers to „transgender identity,” and this is seen as a lack of alignment between a person’s biological sex and the gender they identify with, without associating it with mental disorders. There is no single model or standard protocol to be „trans”; each trans person is different, hence the existing diversity and confusion surrounding certain terms.
Types of Transphobia Transphobia encompasses hatred, rejection, violence, discrimination in any form, isolation, lack of understanding, and the entire range of negative behaviors that trans people face from their surroundings. Transphobia can manifest in multiple and varied ways:
Negative beliefs and attitudes towards trans people, such as expressions like „trans people are mentally ill.”
Aversion and prejudices towards trans people, such as claiming that „trans women are men in disguise.”
Lack of acceptance and refusal to use the pronouns that the trans person identifies with, for example, when a trans woman requests to be addressed with feminine pronouns and her surroundings refuse.
Insults or derogatory language.
Discrimination and isolation.
Intimidation, abuse, violence…
All of these forms of transphobia have truly dramatic consequences in the lives of trans people, having a significant impact on their emotional well-being.
Transphobia and Discrimination In this sense, employment discrimination against trans people is highly frequent, making it much more difficult for them to access employment opportunities on equal terms. Ideal candidates for a job are often dismissed due to transphobic attitudes, with claims that they „don’t fit into the company,” when in reality they are being rejected for being trans. This type of behavior causes many trans people to be forced into marginal jobs (even prostitution), reinforcing the prejudices that the environment holds against trans people.
Another example of frequent discrimination due to transphobia occurs in the housing sector, where many refuse to rent a property to certain individuals simply because they are trans. Even more serious discrimination occurs in the healthcare field when, due to transphobia, the healthcare needs of trans people are not properly met, denying them a fundamental right. Furthermore, healthcare professionals often lack sufficient knowledge to adequately care for trans people due to a lack of understanding of the specific healthcare needs of trans individuals.
Transphobia and Violence Regarding violence, this is where some of the most extreme consequences and manifestations of transphobia occur. The report „Trans Youth in the Education System” presented in 2019 by the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transgender, and Bisexuals (FELGTB) showed that 58% of trans individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 had experienced some form of transphobia during their school years. The forms of transphobic aggression included insults (40%), harassment (25%), threats (22%), and cyber violence (18%). These types of violent attitudes contribute to the higher rates of suicide and suicide attempts among transgender children and adolescents, with recent dramatic examples in our country, such as the suicides of Alan in Catalonia (Álvarez, 2015) and Ekai in the Basque Country (El Español, 2018). In general, trans individuals are more exposed to higher rates of violence and victimization, meaning they are more likely to be attacked on the street or in any other place simply for being trans. Hate crimes against the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Bisexual) community are increasing each year according to the report from the Madrid Observatory against LGBTphobia (2019). Furthermore, trans individuals are at a higher risk of being murdered simply for living according to their gender identity. According to Transgender Europe (2020), a total of 350 trans individuals were killed from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2020, representing a 6% increase since the 2019 update. 98% of the victims were trans women. A total of 3,664 trans individuals have been murdered in 75 countries from January 2008 to September 2020. Unfortunately, this number is estimated to be much higher since these crimes are often not properly recorded or categorized due to the lack of knowledge and understanding surrounding trans identities and realities.
Psychological and Social Consequences of Transphobia Numerous psychological and social consequences arise for trans people who experience transphobia, including:
Less social support: The rejection from an environment that generally knows little and understands little about trans realities leads to these individuals having less social support in the face of numerous episodes of violent and overt transphobia. Instead of creating a support network, society, institutions, and their close environment often turn their backs on them. This causes trans people to feel isolated, misunderstood, with greater feelings of loneliness and fear.
Hypervigilance: As a defense against these expressions of transphobia, trans people learn to be hyperaware of their environment’s reactions, anticipating possible signs of rejection, whether openly violent or more subtle, such as disapproving glances or gossip about their bodily appearance. This constant state of vigilance causes them to be in a state of permanent tension.
Gender dysphoria: Continuous rejection can lead trans people to have difficulty accepting their own physical appearance. This is technically known as „gender dysphoria,” which refers to the discomfort or distress that individuals whose gender identity differs from the physical characteristics associated with their assigned biological sex at birth may feel. Since society imposes certain physical attributes on women and men, those who do not strictly adhere to these social expectations are rejected and discriminated against, making them feel „strange,” „sick,” or at the very least, „unattractive” in the eyes of society. This dysphoria or discomfort with their own bodies due to social rejection is one of the factors that leads trans individuals to begin the process of „transition or gender reassignment,” a medical treatment procedure for trans people who wish to align their bodies with their desired gender through hormone treatment and/or surgery. This is a complex transition that requires…
