“A little shiny gender breakthrough”: Community understandings of gender euphoria
2021/05/03 by Will J. Beischel, Stéphanie E. M. Gauvin, Sari M. van Anders · 1 voice · 31 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Gender Studies in Language #Gender Roles and Identity Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/26895269.2021.1915223
Abstract
Background: , which originates in psychiatry, the term "gender euphoria" has been mobilized by some LGBTQ people to describe the powerfully positive emotions that can come from one's gender/sex. As such, researchers and clinicians may benefit from conceptual clarity as to what gender euphoria is and what kinds of experiences might result in gender euphoria. Aim: We aimed to better understand how trans community members and others conceptualize the term "gender euphoria," including its relationship to gender dysphoria, as well as the contexts and behaviors that elicit gender euphoria. Method: = 47) of diverse sexualities and gender/sexes (including transgender, cisgender, and/or nonbinary participants) who had heard of or used the term "gender euphoria." Participants answered open-ended questions about where they had heard the term being used, how they would define gender euphoria and gender dysphoria, the relation between these terms, and their gender euphoric experiences. Results: Analyses resulted in five themes: (1) gender euphoria describes a joyful feeling of rightness in one's gender/sex, (2) gender euphoric experiences can be external, internal, and/or social, (3) "gender euphoria" originated in and circulates in online and in-person gender/sex minority communities, (4) dysphoria describes a negative feeling of conflict between gender/sexed aspects of one's self, and (5) the relationship between euphoria and dysphoria is complex. Discussion: These results can inform qualitative and quantitative research, gender affirmative clinical practice, political fights for transgender rights, and understandings of gendered experiences for people of all identities.
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