Gender Fluidity: Consequences for Youth's mental health and important protective factors
Keywords:
Keywords: Gender Fluidity, youth, mental health, family, schoolAbstract
Introduction: This review aims to delineate and analyze the acceptance of gender fluidity which refers to an individual's gender identity being flexible and not confined to traditional binary gender categories of male and female. Important differences in various terms that may or may not fall under the term gender fluidity such as 'Genderqueer' and 'Non-binary’ etc. will be discussed.
Methods: After presenting the definition, the important differences and the historical background of the concept, data from various studies will follow. The survey data are mainly from the USA, Canada and Greece and cover the period 2009 to 2023. Very often the exact words of people with gender non-conforming are quoted.
Discussion: Evidence is recorded on the mental health consequences for gender fluid young people due to non-acceptance by family, school and friends. Negative mental health consequences for young people lead to a model of minority anxiety about the health of sexual minorities. Instead, attempts of acceptance by the family and school lead to a supportive framework. For example, the Genders & Sexualities Alliances (GSA program operating in Canada will be mentioned and its results will be presented. Finally, there is a reference to the international legislation and that of Greece in particular, and the governmental treatment of gender fluid people.
Conclusion: The negative consequences on mental health as a consequence of the non-acceptance of gender fluidity make evident the need for direct intervention and recognition of young people who want to express themselves in this way.
References
Schilt K, Westbrook L. Doing gender, doing heteronormativity: ‘gender normals,’ transgender people, and the social maintenance of heterosexuality. Gender and Society. 2009;23:440-464.
Lindqvist A, Sendén MG, Renström EA. What is gender, anyway: a review of the options for operationalizing gender. Psychol Sex. 2021;12(4):332–344.
Christina Richards, Walter Pierre Bouman, Leighton Seal, Meg John Barker, Timo O. Nieder & Guy T’Sjoen. (2016). Non-binary or genderqueer genders. International Review of Psychiatry, 28, 95–102.
Singh AA, Walinsky D. Treatment of trauma and non-suicidal self-injury in transgender adults. Psychiatric Clinics. 2017;40(1):41-50.
Suen LW, Lunn MR, Katuzny K, Finn S, Duncan L, Sevelius J, et al. What Sexual and Gender Minority People Want Researchers to Know About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questions: A Qualitative Study. Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Oct 1;49(7):2301–18.
Hegarty P, Ansara YG, Barker MJ. Nonbinary gender identities. In: Dess NK, Marecek J, Bell LC, editors. Gender, sex, and sexualities: Psychological perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger; 2018. p . 47-105
Quinn DM, Jacobs SE, Thomas W, Lang S. Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality. Western Historical Quarterly. 1999;30(1):30-48
Yoair Blog. Ανθρωπολογία: Τρίτα φύλα σε αυτόχθονες κοινωνίες [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://www.yoair.com/el/blog/anthropology-third-genders-in-indigenous-societies/
Stone S. The empire strikes back: A transsexual manifesto. In: Stryker S, Whittle S, editors. The Transgender Studies Reader. New York: Routledge; 2006. p. 221-235.
Bauer GR, Scheim AI, Pyne J, Travers R, Hammond R. Intervenable factors associated with suicide risk in transgender persons: A respondent driven sampling study in Ontario, Canada. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:525
James SE, Herman JL, Rankin S, Keisling M, Mottet L, Anafi M. About the National Center for Transgender Equality. In: James SE, Herman JL, Rankin S, Keisling M, Mottet L, Anafi M, editors. Title of the book (if available). Publisher (if available); 2016. p. 200-210
Baum J, Brill S, Brown J, Delpercio A, Kahn E, Kenney L, Nicoll A. Supporting and caring for our gender expansive youth: Lessons from the Human Rights Campaign’s Youth Survey. Human Rights Campaign. 2012. Available from: www.hrc.org/youth-gender.
Baldwin DA, Moses LJ. The Ontogeny of Social Information Gathering. Child Development. 1996;67(5):507–685.
K-W Sl. Gender fluidity: What it means and why support matters. Harvard Health. 2020;4:4-5.
Leung E, Kassel-Gomez G, Sullivan S, Murahara F, Flanagan T. Social support in schools and related outcomes for LGBTQ youth: a scoping review. Discover Education. 2022;6(18)
Newcomb ME, Hill R, Buehler K, Ryan DT, Whitton SW, Mustanski B. High Burden of Mental Health Problems, Substance Use, Violence, and Related Psychosocial Factors in Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Diverse Youth and Young Adults. Arch Sex Behav. 2020 Feb 1;49(2):645-659
Frieden TR, Jaffe HW, Rasmussen SA, Leahy MA, Martinroe JC, Spriggs SR, et al. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MMWR Editorial and Production Staff (Serials) MMWR Editorial Board. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65(No. RR-6):65-107.
Kosciw JG, Palmer NA, Boesen MJ, Bartkiewicz MJ, Greytak EA, Gay L and SEN (Glsen). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools. Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network; 2012. 160 p.
Diamond LM. Gender Fluidity and Nonbinary Gender Identities Among Children and Adolescents. Child Dev Perspect. 2020 Jun 1;14(2):110–5.
Almarri MA. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 2020.
Vance Jr SR, Halpern-Felsher BL, Rosenthal SM. Health care providers’ comfort with and barriers to care of transgender youth. J Adolesc Health. 2015;56(2):251-253.
Turban JL, Beckwith N, Reisner SL, Keuroghlian AS. Association between recalled exposure to gender identity conversion efforts and psychological distress and suicide attempts among transgender adults. JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 1;77(1):68-76.
De Groot D. Bans on conversion “therapies” The situation in selected EU Member States [Internet]. European Parliamentary ResearchService. 2022. Available from:https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2022/733521/EPRS_BRI(2022)733521_EN.pdf
Meyer IH. Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence. Am J Public Health. 2003;93(2):262-271.
What is a GSA club? [Internet]. GSA NETWORK. [cited 2023 Jul]. Available from: https://gsanetwork.org/what-is-a-gsa/
Fetner T, Elafros A. The GSA difference: LGBTQ and ally experiences in high schools with and without gay-straight alliances. Soc Sci. 2015;4(3):563–81.
Moreno A, Ardila R, Zervoulis K, Nel JA, Light E, Chamberland L. Cross-cultural perspectives of LGBTQ psychology from five different countries: Current state and recommendations. Psychology and Sexuality (Preaching to the Choir Special Issue). 2018;9(3):191-196. Available from: https://cpasogii.com/special-issue
Lahanioti L. For the mental health of LGBTQ+ people. 2019; Available from: https://avmag.gr/105337/
Pantazopoulos G. Social actions for LGBTQ+ people. LIFO. 2022. Available from: https://www.lifo.gr/lgbtqi/koinonikes-draseis-gia-ta-loatki-atoma
World laws pertaining to homosexual relationships and expression. (n.d.). [Internet]. Available from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_laws_pertaining_to_homosexual_relationships_and_expression.svg