Search

Abstract Background Gender-diverse young people experience a cisnormative world and are subject to unique minority stressors, which have been found to contribute to adverse mental health. This research aims to understand the social and personal context unique to gender-diverse people that young people navigate prior to attending specialised services. Methods The baseline measure of a newly developed questionnaire, the GIDS Gender Questionnaire (GIDS-GQ), was sent to all young people (or caregivers for those aged under 12) attending the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). Eighty-four young people and caregivers completed the questionnaire, with eighty-one included in the final sample (M = 15.77 years, SD = 1.83, range = 9–17; assigned female at birth = 72, assigned male at birth = 9). Questionnaires were emailed to participants via an online survey between one and three appointments with the Service. Data were collected between April 2021 and February 2022. Results All young people had initiated a social transition, with 75.3% categorised as fully socially transitioned. More young people reported experiencing transphobic bullying (64.2%) and a lack of acceptance of their gender identity (85.1%) in the past (lifetime) than in the 6 months prior to attending the service (transphobic bullying: 12.3%; non-acceptance: 49.4%). 94.5% of the sample reported disliked body parts, most commonly breasts (80.8%), genitals (37%), and hips (31.5%). Participants most commonly reported a decrease in their mood (61.25%) and most areas of social connectedness. Conclusions The majority of this sample had socially transitioned, were supported in their identification, and had experienced less transphobic bullying and non-acceptance prior to commencing services. However, young people continued to dislike their bodies, and experience low mood and social connectedness. Future research is needed to understand how clinical support can help reduce the impact of these external/distal minority stressors by promoting social connectedness, incorporating such learnings into clinical practice and subsequent policy in clinical work with gender-diverse young people.

Background: Gender-diverse young people experience a cisnormative world and are subject to unique minority stressors, which have been found to contribute to adverse mental health. This research aims to understand the social and personal context unique to gender-diverse people that young people navigate prior to attending specialised services. Methods: The baseline measure of a newly developed questionnaire, the GIDS Gender Questionnaire (GIDS-GQ), was sent to all young people (or caregivers for those aged under 12) attending the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). Eighty-four young people and caregivers completed the questionnaire, with eighty-one included in the final sample (M = 15.77 years, SD = 1.83, range = 9–17; assigned female at birth = 72, assigned male at birth = 9). Questionnaires were emailed to participants via an online survey between one and three appointments with the Service. Data were collected between April 2021 and February 2022. Results: All young people had initiated a social transition, with 75.3% categorised as fully socially transitioned. More young people reported experiencing transphobic bullying (64.2%) and a lack of acceptance of their gender identity (85.1%) in the past (lifetime) than in the 6 months prior to attending the service (transphobic bullying: 12.3%; non-acceptance: 49.4%). 94.5% of the sample reported disliked body parts, most commonly breasts (80.8%), genitals (37%), and hips (31.5%). Participants most commonly reported a decrease in their mood (61.25%) and most areas of social connectedness. Conclusions: The majority of this sample had socially transitioned, were supported in their identification, and had experienced less transphobic bullying and non-acceptance prior to commencing services. However, young people continued to dislike their bodies, and experience low mood and social connectedness. Future research is needed to understand how clinical support can help reduce the impact of these external/distal minority stressors by promoting social connectedness, incorporating such learnings into clinical practice and subsequent policy in clinical work with gender-diverse young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transphobic bullying is prevalent in schools around the world. The present study examined the bidirectional relationships among transphobic attitudes, perpetration of transphobic bullying, and witnessing transphobic bullying. The study also included the validation of an instrument to measure transphobic bullying and the prevalence rates of transphobic attitudes and behaviors. The sample was composed of 567 adolescents (38.8% girls; aged 12–17; M = 13.96; SD = 1.18). Participants completed measures of transphobic attitudes, perpetration of transphobic bullying and witnessing transphobic bullying at time 1 (T1) and time 2 (T2) during a 1‐year interval. Results showed that transphobic attitudes predicted perpetration of transphobic bullying 1 year later, and that perpetration of transphobic bullying predicted witnessing transphobic bullying 1 year later. As expected, boys scored higher on the measures of perpetration of transphobic bullying and transphobic attitudes at both T1 and T2. These results indicate the importance of working to eliminate transphobic attitudes to reduce bullying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers potential solutions to LGBT bullying in schools, but we recognize that these are not easy solutions nor are they implementable for every school district. It mentions that the article aims at highlighting research which suggests that continuing education and training for K-12 teachers, coupled with the formation and preservation of gay–straight alliances (GSAs) in schools, offers two ways to address LGBT bullying.

This study explores the perceived barriers and supports identified by school staff in tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying, using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model as a framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from five separate second-level/high schools (two designated disadvantaged schools, and three non-disadvantaged schools), within an area of Dublin, Ireland. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the resulting data. Findings indicated that the main barriers in tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying included students’ perceived discomfort in discussing their sexuality with teachers, teachers’ discomfort in discussing issues (including an associated lack of training), a lack of priority given to these types of bullying, and parental views on homosexuality. Perceived supports included consistency in dealing with these types of bullying, appropriate training, and support from management. Relationships were also evidenced between some perceived barriers and supports, with the absence of these factors being perceived as a barrier, while their presence was perceived as a support. Findings are considered within the context of previous research. The strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, as are its practice implications, and implications for possible future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]