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Few studies have examined how gender variance (GV), broadly defined as gender identity and behaviors (e.g., activities and preferences) that do not correspond with culturally defined gender norms, manifests in community samples, particularly in children and outside Western contexts. We present data based on the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC; Johnson et al., 2004) among 461 Chinese community children (4–12 years old) to gauge how well the GIQC serves as a measure of GV and the prevalence of GV. We examined the descriptive scores of GV, its relationship to a gender-typing measure that has been validated in Chinese children (the Child Play Behavior and Activity Questionnaire, CPBAQ), the scores on the GIQC of children whose gender is incongruent with birth-assigned sex, and the binned category distributions (from gender-variant to gender-conforming) in comparison to a Canadian community sample (van der Miesen et al., 2018). The Chinese children on average scored toward the gender-conforming end and children assigned female at birth showed more GV than children assigned male at birth. More importantly, the GIQC appears to be a reliable and sensitive measure of GV in the Chinese sample. GIQC scores correlated significantly with CPBAQ scores and showed a very similar reliability coefficient, gender difference effect size, and bin distribution pattern as the Canadian reference sample. Also, children reported as gender/sex incongruent had the most gender-variant GIQC scores. Although clinically gender-referred Chinese children are required to establish culturally specific cutoff points, these findings provide initial evidence for the characteristics of GV, the applicability of the GIQC as a measure of GV in Chinese community children, and the comparisons of GIQC categories between Chinese and Canadian community samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that gender dysphoria or gender diversity (GD) intersects frequently with autism spectrum disorder or autism traits. However, the magnitude and interpretation of this link continue to be debated. Most child studies on this topic were performed in clinical populations, and little is known about the generalizability of this co‐occurrence to the broader community, especially to non‐Western samples. Also, little is known about whether specific subdomains of autism are more strongly associated with GD. Therefore, we investigated GD and its association with autism traits in a Chinese community sample of 4–12‐year‐olds (N = 379; 51% birth‐assigned girls). Parents provided information about GD characteristics using the standardized Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children and autism traits using the Chinese version of the Autism‐Spectrum Quotient‐Children. In addition, broader behavioral and emotional challenges were measured by the Behavior Problem Index (BPI) to account for psychological challenges other than autism traits. In this community sample of Chinese children, increased GD was associated with increased autism traits, even after accounting for the BPI. Of the four subscales, the Imagination and Patterns subscales in birth‐assigned girls and the Imagination subscale in birth‐assigned boys were especially associated with GD. These findings indicate that the association between GD and autism traits generalizes to a nonclinical, non‐Western sample. Clinicians and researchers working with clinical as well as community children should thus pay attention to the co‐occurrence of GD and autism traits, in and outside the West. Lay Summary: Despite evidence of a potential co‐occurrence of autism and gender diversity (i.e., gender role behaviors that do not follow cultural gender norms), whether this link occurs in community and non‐Western samples remains unclear. We found that Chinese children with increased gender diversity had increased autism traits in specific domains. The findings call for attention to gender diversity in autistic children and to autism traits in gender‐diverse children, including those in non‐Western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the development and testing of a new composite scale for measuring gender diversity, for use in survey research and statistical analysis: the Gender Variance Scale (GVS). The GVS measures gender diversity on a spectrum and can be used across both cisgender and trans populations to identify experiences of gender beyond a basic male/female sex binary. The GVS was piloted with a sample of 1,776 adolescents and young people ages 14–24 years, in the context of a broader study exploring the relationships between gender variance, young people's experiences and wellbeing. Analysis of data indicated that the GVS contained both face and construct validity and reliability in the context of the pilot study. In addition, the data revealed some interesting associations between the GVS and other demographic features of the sample of youth surveyed; for example, higher levels of gender variance were associated with being lesbian, gay or bisexual and having a disability. The findings of this study may be of interest for building a stronger empirical understanding of gender diversity and its intersections with other aspects of identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nLAY SUMMARYSexual imagery and fantasy are key aspects of human sexuality: they are associated with sexual arousal and are reflective of societal influences on sexuality. In addition, they are thought to play a role in sexual activation, desire and personal satisfaction. The current study aimed to investigate the sexual imagery on a sample (N = 5043) of the Italian population adapting the questionnaire used by an American study about the same topic (Lehmiller, 2018). Most participants (82%) think that sharing sexual fantasies with their partner improved their relationship, while the most common fantasy in the sample (60%) is seeking “novelty or having new or exciting sexual experiences.” People with a gender identity other than biological sex report the fantasy of having a different body during sexual intercourse and are more prone to having sex with transgender or cross-dressed people than respondents with congruence between gender identity and biological sex. Conversely, they report less interest in vaginal sex. This study offers a general but innovative overview of the Italian sexual imaginary.Our study investigates the sexual imagery of an Italian sample, its characteristics and the place it occupies in people’s sex lives. This research offers a deeper understanding of the sexual fantasies of the Italian population and how they influence sexual satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study surveyed a national sample of inpatient pediatric behavioral health facilities on policies related to care for transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) youth to assess adherence to best practices. Methods: Staff/providers at youth inpatient psychiatric facilities were recruited by phone or email. Participants completed an electronic survey on facilities' training policies, staff comfort related to gender diversity, and other policies related to caring for TGE youth. Results: Of 479 potential participating facilities, 124 surveys were initiated and 59 were completed. Measures to ensure accessibility to TGE patients are present in many facilities surveyed, with most reporting that their facility had nondiscrimination policies in place (86.2%) and required training on working with TGE patients (52.5%). A minority of participants (12.1%) reported that their facility roomed TGE youth based on sex assigned at birth, although only a small portion roomed based on gender identity alone (19.0%). Slightly more than two-thirds stated that their facility had individual restrooms available. Most participants (74.6%) stated that facility staff were comfortable discussing gender diversity in general, although this was less common for other topics related to TGE patient care. Conclusion: Our survey highlights efforts made by inpatient behavioral health facilities to ensure accessibility of services to TGE youth, although our results showed notable differences across facilities. Given inconsistent federal protections for TGE patients, there remains a need for efforts to ensure that TGE youth are receiving all possible support in these treatment settings, such as accessible restrooms and bedroom assignments, as well as the opportunity to room with peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows elevated gender variance among autistic people and more autistic traits among gender diverse people, each of which is related to mental health concerns. Little work has explored broad features of these presentations in a non-clinical sample. College students (n = 174) ages 18–22 years completed questionnaires assessing the broader autism phenotype (BAP), autistic features, nonconformity to gender norms, and internalizing symptoms. Those with more BAP features or autistic communication reported more nonconformity to gender norms. Higher levels of internalizing symptoms were related to more gender nonconformity, BAP, and autistic features. Gender nonconformity marginally moderated the effect of BAP on depression but not anxiety. The BAP, autistic features, and gender nonconformity are important in understanding mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this interview essay, stef torralba talks with scholar-critic Alexander Ghedi Weheliye about the author's scholarly work, writing practice, and musical inclinations, as well as the current state and future directions of Critical Black Studies. Taking inspiration from Weheliye's interests in the textures of Black, BlackFem, and Black queer and gender-variant life and aesthetics as discussed in the interview, torralba offers texturality as an analytic that characterizes the scholar-critic's work. Together, the essay and interview highlight how Weheliye's oeuvre enables more nuanced and capacious, and thus textural and textured, imaginings of humanity, technology, political subjecthood, and modernity that center the experiences of Black, BlackFem, and Black queer and gender-variant subjects. Weheliye's attention to technologized Black and Black queer and feminist sonic aesthetics from the early twentieth century to the present as spaces to feel out the textures of other worlds renders his scholarship and thinking essential to this special issue's engagements with the disruptive and insurgent dimensions of Black queer musical aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The evolution of knowledge and recommendations concerning transgender health has led to various representations, especially for health professionals, that can influence the medical management of transgender individuals. The main objective of this study was to explore the representation of psychiatrists in France regarding gender variance. The secondary objective was to compare these data based on their characteristics., Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study based on the distribution in April 2022 of a questionnaire to psychiatrists and psychiatric residents in France. The questionnaire was developed after exploring the results of qualitative studies in the scientific literature., Results: Among 359 respondents, 181 were psychiatric residents and 178 were senior psychiatrists. Ninety percent had already met a transgender person in their professional practice. The representations observed among the respondents were heterogeneous. Most respondents did not consider "transgenderism" a symptom of a psychiatric disorder, and nearly all respondents used the gender and name their patients ask for. About 60% reported insufficient knowledge about "transgenderism", with 86% considering that they had not been trained to adequately support transgender people., Conclusions: The study reveals that representations, although weakened by a lack of knowledge recognized by psychiatrists, favor a non-pathologizing apprehension of gender variance and recognition of the importance of respecting gender diversity and self-determination. The heterogeneity of representations, as well as the high prevalence of professionals who describe a lack of knowledge, skills, and training, support the need for guidelines and the integration of evidence-based knowledge about gender variance into the psychiatric curriculum., (Copyright © 2024 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

With Richa Jha and Gautam Benegal's picturebook The Unboy Boy (2013), India acquired the notion of alternative masculinity in children's literature for perhaps the first time, and initiated the depiction in picturebooks of male characters who love soft toys, cook, dance, and dress in a way considered feminine. This article turns the critical lens toward gender codes that form the basis for masculinity discourses. Primarily drawing on Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity, it explores how contemporary Indian picturebooks in English are challenging the representation of traditional masculinity. Through the lens of content analysis, this qualitative research adopts a multimodal approach and scrutinizes three other picturebooks: Abba's Day (2017) by Sunaina Ali and Debasmita Dasgupta, Kali Wants to Dance (2018) by Aparna Karthikeyan and Somesh Kumar, and Guthli Has Wings (2019) by Kanak Shashi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults and children with gender variance (GV) face misunderstanding and discrimination, sometimes leading to mental health difficulties. Family support has been found to buffer these difficulties or to compound them when lacking (Westwater et al., 2019). However, little is known about how GV is considered in the context of families. In the current study, online story completion elicited forty‐five narratives of family life where a protagonist discloses their GV. The older the protagonist, the more seriously their disclosure was taken. All family members were depicted as being impacted by the disclosure, and social stigma and bullying were often the expected consequence. Heteronormative and gender‐binary thinking dominated the stories both in the descriptions of the protagonist's transition from one gender to another, and in the descriptions of the gender‐typical behaviour of the other family members. Non‐binary genders were rarely considered, and a dysphoric view of GV was often held. Practitioner pointsThis study confirmed that heteronormative and binary‐gendered views predominate society, and so families, who will want to protect and support their GV member, will value support from therapists to navigate this territory.Family therapy is helpful to explore the multiple perspectives held within families when one member discloses gender variance, and challenge heteronormative and gender‐binary discourses.Non‐binary identities should be supported as a valid identity in their own right and not a transition point from one gender to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that gender dysphoria or gender diversity (GD) intersects frequently with autism spectrum disorder or autism traits. However, the magnitude and interpretation of this link continue to be debated. Most child studies on this topic were performed in clinical populations, and little is known about the generalizability of this co-occurrence to the broader community, especially to non-Western samples. Also, little is known about whether specific subdomains of autism are more strongly associated with GD. Therefore, we investigated GD and its association with autism traits in a Chinese community sample of 4-12-year-olds (N = 379; 51% birth-assigned girls). Parents provided information about GD characteristics using the standardized Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children and autism traits using the Chinese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient-Children. In addition, broader behavioral and emotional challenges were measured by the Behavior Problem Index (BPI) to account for psychological challenges other than autism traits. In this community sample of Chinese children, increased GD was associated with increased autism traits, even after accounting for the BPI. Of the four subscales, the Imagination and Patterns subscales in birth-assigned girls and the Imagination subscale in birth-assigned boys were especially associated with GD. These findings indicate that the association between GD and autism traits generalizes to a nonclinical, non-Western sample. Clinicians and researchers working with clinical as well as community children should thus pay attention to the co-occurrence of GD and autism traits, in and outside the West., (© 2023 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The seventh wave of world values survey is being conducted around the world with the aim of exploring the attitudes and beliefs towards gender, family, education, health, security and social tolerance based on the values of Socio, Economic, Political, Ethical, happiness and wellbeing. The first release of 2017-2020 has been released in Nov-2020. This paper uses the survey data and empirically analyzes and explores the gender variance on the parameter of Economic Values variables s namely, income equality, private ownership and Government responsibility. The main purpose of the study is to explore and analyze whether any difference of opinion exists between male and female on the economic values variables. The total respondents of the survey are around 1,25,270 (N) who represent fifty countriesacross the world from an age group of eighteen pluswhere the WVS survey was conducted from 2017 to 2020. The primary data collected from the survey was empirically analyzed using SPSS by running the Independent Sample? T? Test to find the variance between the male and female groups. Also using Microsoft Excel the means of the groups were compared country wise. The study concludes that there is a significant variance exists between the genders on the Economic Values parameters and also country wise the variance is different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender variance is a broad term used to describe gender non-conforming behaviors. Past studies have used the parental response to Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Item 110, which asks whether a child "Wishes to be of opposite sex" as an indicator of gender variance. The population prevalence of gender variance in children and adolescents using this metric was found to be 1.2% in birth-assigned females and 0.4% in birth-assigned males (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). However, in those referred for psychiatric evaluation, it was higher (5.4% of birth-assigned females and 2.8% of birth-assigned males) (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). The aim of this study was to use the CBCL to estimate the prevalence of gender variance among children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions and assess whether this was higher compared to controls. The response to the CBCL and the child's neurodevelopmental and/or psychiatric diagnosis were extracted from the clinical notes of 1553 children and adolescents referred to an outpatient psychiatry clinic in Australia. This was compared to data from 181 control participants as well as to the CBCL standardization sample of 1605 controls. Of the 1553 young people, whose mean age was 10.9 years, gender variance was reported in 3.1% compared to 1.7% in local control participants (p > .05) and 0.7% in the CBCL controls (p < .0001). Rates varied depending upon the underlying diagnosis (ASD 5.2%; ADHD 2.5%, intellectual disability 4.7%; depression 2.6%; and anxiety 4.7%). In this way, our findings support past observations that young people with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions have high rates of gender variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In clinical child and retrospective adult samples, childhood gender variance (GV; i.e., cross-gender behaviour) has been associated with separation anxiety (SA; i.e., distress related to separation from attachment figures) in males. This study examined GV and SA in a nonclinical sample of 892 boys and 933 girls aged 6–12 years via parent-reports. Parental factors (i.e., parenting style, parent–child relationship, willingness to serve as an attachment figure, attitudes towards gender stereotypes in children) were examined as potential moderators. GV predicted SA in boys, even when statistically controlling for general psychopathology and demographic variables. Authoritative parenting, closeness in the parent–child relationship, willingness to serve as an attachment figure, and liberal attitudes towards gender stereotypes in children moderated the association between GV and SA in both boys and girls. Thus, SA may be a unique internalizing problem related to GV in boys in nonclinical samples and influenced by a variety of parental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neapolitan femminielli, part of the cultural tradition of Naples and its surrounding area, can be considered, following the current terminology, subjects who embody a gender variant. In relation to this “experience of the self”, the author, who has spent almost a decade engaged in field research, here investigates how and when the idea of sexual and gender deviance was constructed and consolidated in so-called Western contexts. Through anthropological analysis of “dissonant bodies”, a metaphor to indicate the different modality, for some subjectivities, of experiencing the self with respect to a constituted order, the analysis shows the cultural, processual and historical nature of the principles of “justice” and “order”, relative to the body and its acts. In reference to the normalization processes within the LGBTQI community – which also come about, for some transgender subjects, through a body that can today change, modify and transform itself seamlessly – and which lead to a re-signification of identity through the body and having a different experience of it, the present study shows how the femminielli embody a different gaze on the experience of the self, and today form a case of cultural resistance.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the views of young people (YP) with gender dysphoria and their parents concerning fertility preservation and reproductive and life priorities.Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study assessed knowledge of potential effects of treatments for gender dysphoria on fertility, current and future life priorities and preferences regarding future fertility/parenting options among YP and parents.Results: A total of 79 YP (81% assigned female at birth [AFAB], 19% assigned male at birth [AMAB], aged 12-18 years, 68% between ages 16 years and 18 years) and 73 parents participated. The top current life priority for YP among eight options was being in good health; the least important priority was having children. Anticipated life priorities 10 years from now were ranked similarly. Parents' rankings paralleled the YP responses; however, parents ranked having children as a significantly higher priority for AFAB compared with AMAB YP in 10 years. The majority of YP (66% AFAB, 67% AMAB) want to be a parent in the future. However, most do not envision having a biological child. A large majority (72% AFAB, 80% AMAB) were open to adoption. None of the YP surveyed pursued fertility preservation.Conclusion: Fertility is a low current and future life priority for transgender YP. The majority of YP wish to become parents but are open to alternative strategies for building a family. These data may explain in part the reported low rates of fertility preservation among this population. Further studies are needed to assess if life priorities change over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth explore their genders – both theirs and those of others. Exploration is not only a vessel of discovery and understanding but also of creation. Centring the notion of gender exploration, this article inquires into the ethical issues surrounding care for transgender youth. Arguing that exploration is best seen not as a precondition to transition-related care but as a process that can operate through transitioning, the article concludes that the gender-affirmative approach to trans youth care best fosters youth's capacity for healthy exploration. Unbounded social transition and ready access to puberty blockers ought to be treated as the default option, and support should be offered to parents who may have difficulty accepting their youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender variance (GV) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently co-occur in clinical populations. We investigated GV in association with ASD characteristics in nonclinical children and in children with developmental/mental health diagnoses. In 6–12-year-olds (N = 2445; 51% birth-assigned boys), the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children measured GV and the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire measured six subdomains of ASD characteristics. Among nonclinical children, GV was associated with parent-reported difficulties orienting socially and stereotyped behaviors. GV was also associated with parent-reported clinical diagnoses of ASD, sensory processing disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder. These findings suggest associations between specific ASD characteristics and GV in nonclinical children. Also, childhood GV should be further examined in a range of clinical populations, including ASD individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a survey of Christian social work students and recent graduates regarding their views on gender identity and transgender issues, particularly in the context of their professional training. Although about one- third of the sample reported a belief that gender identity is subjective and flexible, the general trend of the findings suggested more conservative beliefs concerning transgender issues, across a variety of measures, than those of social work faculty reported in previous research. Thus, while Christian social work students do not appear to be a homogeneous group, social work educators may need to further explore transgender issues and their importance to practice when teaching students from conservative Christian backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have suggested an overrepresentation of (symptoms of) autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among individuals with gender dysphoria. Three studies have taken the inverse approach in children with ASD and showed increased parent report of the wish to be of the opposite gender in this group. This study compared the self-reported wish to be of the opposite gender (one item of the Youth Self-Report [YSR] and the Adult Self-Report [ASR]) of 573 adolescents (469 assigned boys and 104 assigned girls) and 807 adults (616 assigned males and 191 assigned females) with ASD to 1016 adolescents and 846 adults from the general population. Emotional and behavioral problems were measured by the DSM-oriented scales of the YSR and ASR. In addition, the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire and the Adult Social Behavior Questionnaire were used to measure specific subdomains of the ASD spectrum to test whether specific subdomains of ASD were particularly involved. Significantly more adolescents (6.5%) and adults (11.4%) with ASD endorsed this item as compared to the general population (3-5%). In adolescents, assigned girls endorsed this item more than assigned boys. No significant gender differences were found in the adults with ASD. In addition, on all DSM-oriented scales of both the YSR and ASR, adolescents and adults with ASD who endorsed the gender item had significantly higher scores compared to those without. There were no significant associations between endorsement of the gender item and any specific subdomain of ASD, providing no evidence for a sole role of one of the ASD subdomains and endorsement of the wish to be the opposite gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: To examine characteristics, including mental health comorbidities, among adolescents presenting to a transgender clinic and to compare these data to previous reports. Methods: Retrospective chart review among youth seen at The Hospital for Sick Children between January 2014 and June 2016. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and mental health comorbidities were assessed. Baseline and repeat blood work were also examined. Results: Charts from 203 adolescents aged 12–18 years were reviewed (156 assigned female at birth [AFAB] (77%) aged 16.3 ± 1.63 years, 47 assigned male at birth [AMAB] aged 16.1 ± 1.70 years). There was no statistically significant difference between gender groups except for Tanner stage (AFAB, mean 4.42 ± 0.8 and AMAB, mean 4.03 ± 1.1, p = 0.040). Individuals from racial/ethnic minority populations were under-represented compared to the background population. Self-report and baseline psychological questionnaires showed high levels of gender dysphoria, mood disorders, and suicidal ideation, with higher levels of anxiety detected on questionnaires among AFAB (p = 0.03). Laboratory abnormalities identified on baseline and repeat testing were minor; on cross-sex hormones, hemoglobin levels increased slightly in AFAB (p = 0.002, highest = 166 g/L) and decreased among AMAB (p = 0.02, lowest = 132 g/L). Conclusion: Our study supports an evolving demographic trend with more AFAB than AMAB youth now presenting to gender clinics. The data also corroborate studies indicating that extensive laboratory testing may not be a necessary part of caring for these youths. Why more AFAB are now presenting to clinic and racial/ethnic minorities are underrepresented is not clear, but these trends have important implications for clinical care and warrant further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an important number of documentary films focusing on Puerto Rican drag performance and transgender lives. Mala Mala (2014) is exemplary in this respect, portraying civil rights activism, labor difficulties, the impact of transnational media, the negotiation of prejudice and stigma, and the great advances of LGBT visibility. By focusing on nine individuals, directors Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles, cinematographer Adam Uhl and editor Sofía Subercaseaux convey many complexities of this experience, including questions of language, body modification, migration, personal relationships, and aging. Some of the film's limitations are its lack of greater representation of trans masculinities and of racial diversity. This article compares Mala Mala to several additional productions, proposing that this important corpus be recognized as a coherent whole. It also proposes mala mala (very bad, fierce) subjectivities as a form of resistant identity in Puerto Rico. Hay un número importante de documentales sobre el transformismo y la experiencia transgénero puertorriqueña. Mala Mala (2014) es notable en este sentido, mostrando activismo de derechos civiles, dificultades laborales, el impacto de los medios de comunicación transnacionales, la negociación del prejuicio y el estigma, y los enormes avances de la visibilidad LGBT. Enfocándose en nueve individuos, los directores Antonio Santini y Dan Sickles, el cinematógrafo Adam Uhl y la editora Sofía Subercaseaux captan muchas de las complejidades sobre esta experiencia, incluyendo cuestiones del lenguaje, modificación corporal, migración, relaciones personales y envejecimiento. Algunas de las limitaciones de la película son la parca muestra de masculinidades trans y de diversidad racial. Este artículo compara a Mala Mala con varias producciones adicionales, proponiendo que se reconozca la totalidad de este importante corpus. También propone las subjetividades malas malas como forma de identidad resistente en Puerto Rico. [End Page 3] Il existe aujourd'hui un grand nombre de documentaires sur le transformisme et l'expérience transgenre portoricaine. Mala Mala (2014) mérite, à ce titre, d'être signalé, car ce documentaire met au jour le combat pour les droits civils, les difficultés rencontrées dans le monde du travail, l'impact des médias transnationaux, la négociation des préjugés et des stigmates, ainsi que les grandes avancées qui ont permis de rendre visible les LGBT. En se concentrant sur de nouveaux sujets, les réalisateurs, Antonio Santini et Dan Sickles, le cinématographe Adam Uhl et la monteuse Sofía Subercaseaux parviennent à rendre les complexités de cette expérience, y compris dans ses dimensions langagières, migratoires, physiques (transformations corporelles ou encore vieillissement) et relationnelles. Le film n'aborde toutefois que de manière limitée certains aspect du transformisme, comme la minorité d'hommes trans ou encore la question de la diversité ethnique. Cet article propose une comparaison de Mala Mala avec d'autres productions, arguant qu'il s'agit-là d'un corpus à part entière. Nous nous proposons également de montrer que les subjectivités malas malas agissent comme des formes de résistance identitaire à Porto Rico [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender and gender variant (GV) youth experience elevated risk for poor health and academic outcomes due mainly to social experiences of stigma and discrimination. To supplement the growing evidence on health risks encountered by transgender/GV youth, we identified factors theorized to be protective for these youth across all four levels of Bronfenbrenner's socioecological model (individual, relationship, community, societal). We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed research. The articles included in this review were published in peer-reviewed journals in English or Spanish between 1999 and 2014, analyzed data from a sample or subsample of transgender or GV participants with a mean age between 10 and 24 years, and examined the relationship of at least one theorized protective factor to a health or behavioral outcome. Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria. Transgender/GV youth in included articles ranged from 11 to 26 years of age, were racially/ethnically diverse, and represented varied gender identities. Within these articles, 27 unique protective factors across four levels of the ecological model were identified as related to positive health and well-being. Self-esteem at the individual level, healthy relationships with parents and peers at the relationship-level, and gay-straight alliances at the community level emerged as protective factors across multiple studies. Our findings underscore the relative lack of research on transgender/GV youth and protective factors. Novel recruitment strategies for transgender/GV youth and better measurement of transgender identities are needed to confirm these protective relationships and identify others. Growth in these areas will contribute to building a body of evidence to inform interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation of male spirit mediums in Myanmar. Our analysis is based on ethnographic work, field observation, and 10 semi-structured interviews. These observations were conducted from 2010 to 2015, mostly in Mandalay, with some fieldwork in Yangon and Bagan. The focus of this investigation was specifically on achout (gender variant individuals) who were spirit mediums (nat kadaw). Semi-structured interviews explored the ways that participants understood their gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality in relation to their work as spirit mediums and broader social life. Myanmar remains quite a homophobic and transphobic culture but is undergoing rapid economic and social change. Therefore, it provides an interesting context to study how safe spaces are produced for sexual/gender minorities amidst broader social change. We find that, through the animistic belief structure, there is a growing space for gender nonconforming people, gender variant, and same-sex-oriented individuals (achout) to neutralize their stigmatized status and attain a level of respect and economic advantage. Their ability to become nat kadaw (mediums of spirits) mitigates or trumps their stigmatized status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years I have found a number of metaphors which have helped me to deal with particular dynamics in therapeutic work or with group and institutional conflicts involving the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock Centre. This nationwide service, which is for young people with atypical gender identity development and their families, was established in 1989. In this paper I describe some of these metaphors in relation to the particular problems or conflicts which had stimulated their appearance in my mind. The emergence of these metaphors links the vicissitudes of atypical gender identity development to issues regarding symbolisation or symbolic thinking. Metaphors such as ‘working at the edge’ or ‘navigating between Scylla and Charybdis’ allow the professional to hold on to multiple perspectives and to maintain a certain degree of ambiguity in situations in which the interpersonal dynamics can be experienced as rigid and deterministic. The emergence of metaphors can then be perceived by the professional with a sense of relief and freedom of thinking. In this paper, metaphors are linked to: the model of care developed; the therapeutic stance; and the aims, risks and pressures experienced by the professional in this area of work. The association between gender dysphoria in some young people and autistic spectrum features is explored. The paper emphasises the importance of responding flexibly to individual differences and of recognising complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]