Catherine University SOPHIA Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers School of Social Work 5-2015 Increasing Advocacy, Awareness and Support for Transgender Individuals Kacie Ervasti St. Catherine University Follow this and additional works at: https://sophia.edu/msw_papers Part of the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Ervasti, Kacie. Increasing Advocacy, Awareness and Support for Transgender Individuals. Retrieved from Sophia, the St.
Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.edu/ msw_papers/442 This Clinical research paper is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Social Work at SOPHIA. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers by an authorized administrator of SOPHIA. For more information, please contact amshaw@stkate. Running head: ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 1 Increasing Advocacy, Awareness and Support for Transgender Individuals by Kacie Ervasti, B., LSW MSW Clinical Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of the School of Social Work St.
Catherine University and University of St. Paul, Minnesota in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Work Committee Members Kendra Garrett, Ph., MSW Teresa George, MSW, LICSW Lisa Bauer, MSW, LICSW The Clinical Research Project is a graduation requirement for the MSW students at St. Catherine University/University of St. Thomas School of Social Work in St.
Paul, Minnesota and is conducted within a nine-month time frame to demonstrate facility with basic research methods. Students must independently conceptualize a research problem, formulate a research design that is approved by a research committee and the university Institutional Review Board, implement the project, and publicly present the findings of the study. This project is neither a Master’s thesis nor a dissertation. ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 2 Abstract The lack of understanding and knowledge regarding transgender individuals is a social justice issue social workers and social service practitioners must educate themselves on in order to serve this oppressed and vulnerable population to create change and equality.
This qualitative research project conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 individuals who identify as transgender, or somewhere along the spectrum of gender non-conforming, regarding their opinions on how to increase awareness, support, and advocacy for the transgender community. Important themes that were found in the data regarding the experience of clinical practice with people who transgender individuals were: understanding transgender terminology, explaining and understanding gender identity, opinions regarding inclusion in the LBG-Q community, issues in transgender community, advocacy, and thoughts on future research. Discussion of the findings in relationship to the literature is addressed. The findings go beyond the sparse literature and shed light on several implications for the changes needed in order to create equality for all individuals.
Implications include understanding gender identity, specifically regarding language and use of pronouns, addressing discrimination including the need for gender neutral public restrooms, health care, violence and creating better practice though education and research. Keywords: transgender, gender non-conforming, LBGTQ, identity, violence, therapy, social services ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 3 Acknowledgements First, to my love and team, Chris, Maya and Miles: for giving me never ending support and encouragement on this journey. You have helped me to find deeper parts of myself. To my Mom for seeing where my path would lead before I could.
You have faithfully picked up the pieces to allow me to pour myself into this year of intense learning. You are my first and biggest life long cheerleader. To my loved ones, those who are family and those who I consider family, thank you for being patient and supporting me through graduate school. You know who you are.
To my committee chair, Kendra Garrett: for being so excited and passionate about my project and guiding me through all the steps of pulling this together. To my committee, Lisa Bauer and Teresa George: for reading, making notes and devoting precious time and ideas to the completion of my project. You are so appreciated! And last, but never least, to each of the ten people I had the immense pleasure of interviewing. Your stories changed my life.
You are amazing examples of love, grace, and beauty! ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 4 4. LITERATURE REVIEW Page 7 6. CONCEPTUAL WORK Page 18 7.
APPENDIX Page 62 ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 5 Increasing Advocacy, Awareness and Support for Transgender Individuals Similar to other groups who have experienced oppression and have had to fight for their civil rights, transgender people commonly face great obstacles. Many who are gender non-conforming, identify as transgender, or both, experience oppression and discrimination that can cause significant mental health concerns, addiction and severe violence (Duncan & Hatzenbuehler, 2014; Lombardi, Wilchins, Priesin, & Malouf, 2001; Trans* Violence Tracking Poll (TVTP), 2014). They can experience turmoil on many levels, as one’s identity is constantly challenged by society and, in this case, has been challenged since the beginning of their personal gender identification. Cisgender people, those who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, are not impacted by gender discrimination the way transgender people are.
Being transgender challenges social norms, which can make people who do not fit society’s expectation of gender vulnerable to discrimination and violence (TVTP, 2014). Staggering numbers of people who are transgender find it almost impossible to secure jobs, much less develop into professionals, and find themselves experiencing the harsh realities of living in poverty or being homeless (National Center for Transgender Equality and The Task Force, 2011). Additionally, the most recent statistics show that significant percentages of transgender people are dealing with addiction to drugs and/or alcohol due to the stress caused from constant battles with discrimination and stigma from society (Hunt, 2012). Beyond discrimination, transgender individuals are often the victims of hate and violent crime.
According to a worldwide initiative to track transgender violence called the Trans* Violence Tracking Portal (TVTP), there were 102 reports world ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 6 wide of anti-transgender violence in the first four months of 2014. “Of the 102 murders, 36 persons were shot multiple times, 14 stabbed multiple times, 11 were beaten to death, 3 were burned to death, 3 dismembered/mutilated, and 2 were tortured, 2 were strangled, 1 was hanged, 1 had her throat cut and 1 was stoned to death” (TVTP, 2014, para. Violence towards transgender people is not only intended to hurt the individual, but also done to intimidate the larger community (TVTP, 2014). Currently, articles addressing topics related to the LGB and specifically transgender community are isolated to specialty journals and are at risk of being read only by those who are already immersed in working with these concerns (Burdge, 2007).
Research by Scherrer and Woodford (2013) focused on what research needs to be conducted regarding the experience of transgender individuals and how to go about it. They stressed that the social work community needs to build its own body of empirical and theoretical work to reach a multitude of social workers who are practicing in the field, while encouraging scholars to publish their own work. The inspiration for this qualitative project and research is to increase understanding and ways to support and advocate for transgender individuals. “The transgender community is an at-risk population and empowering practice with this population calls on social workers to target society’s traditional gender dichotomy for change” (Burdge, 2007, p.
Social work professionals need to advocate for social justice, including striving to end violations of civil liberties and human rights (Social Work, 2014). Best practice with people who are transgender requires understanding the individuals that make up this intricate population. Social workers need to hear the ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 7 voices of people who are transgender along with understanding the importance of identity, both individually and how it is perceived by society, in order to be more proficient in their practice with this population. The researcher will gather the perspectives of individuals who identify as transgender to answer the following question: What are the perspectives of individuals who identify as transgender regarding the need for increased advocacy, awareness and support for those in the transgender community? Literature Review This literature review combines information regarding transgender people from reliable advocacy organizations working to end discrimination and oppression, along with scholarly articles.
Current definitions of the terms transgender and transsexual and the proper use of terms will be explained in order to remove some of the language barriers experienced when speaking and advocating for transgender people. This paper will address the difficulty of documenting statistical evidence regarding the population of transgender people. In addition, this literature review will include research documenting the lack of understanding and knowledge regarding transgender people, the lack of research regarding the needs this population faces, and research suggesting insufficient training for practitioners wanting to be educated in order to support and advocate for transgender individuals. The discrimination, violence, substance abuse, and mental health concerns frequently experienced by several individuals who do not conform to the traditional gender dichotomy will also be addressed.
This literature review will conclude with recommendations from previous research regarding approaches mental health practitioners may use to ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 8 support transgender people. The literature review will be followed by the conceptual framework, which explains the researcher’s intent to use the empowerment perspective as a lens to conduct the research. Definitions and Terms Transgender. Best practice with transgender people requires understanding the individuals that make up this intricate population.
To begin, language is a huge part of the understanding, advocacy for, and support of the transgender community. Transgender is the “T” in the initialism LGBT, standing for lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender. For this research multiple definitions will be explored. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition, (DSM 5) (2013), defines transgender as “the broad spectrum of individuals who transiently or persistently identify with a gender different from their natal gender” (p.
The distinction of gender determined at birth is referred to as “gender assignment” and can also be called “natal gender” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is an organization, with history back to 1985, that “tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change and protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love” (GLAAD, 2014, About GLAAD, para. GLAAD defines transgender as an adjective, meaning, “An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth” (GLAAD, 2014, Media Reference Guide, para. ADVOCACY FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS 9 Transsexual.
There is a distinct difference between being transgender and being transsexual. While the term transgender can be considered a umbrella turn covering a spectrum of gender identities, the term transsexual can not be considered an umbrella term because individuals who are transgender do not necessarily consider themselves transsexual (GLAAD, 2014). The DSM 5 defines transsexual as “an individual who seeks, or has undergone, a social transition from male to female or female to male, which in many, but not all, cases also involves a somatic transition by cross-sex hormone treatment and genital surgery (sex reassignment surgery)” (p. However, GLAAD explains transsexual as an adjective and states it is “An older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities” (2014, Media Reference Guide, para.
The term transsexual is at times used by “people who have permanently changed - or seek to change - their bodies through medical interventions (including but not limited to hormones and/or surgeries)” (GLAAD, 2014, Media Reference Guide, para. Gender identity and sexual orientation are significantly different and cannot be used as interchangeable terms. When stating someone is gay, lesbian, or bisexual, this is his or her sexual orientation, while transgender refers to a person’s gender identity. “Gender identity is a category of social identity and refers to an individual identification as male, female, or, occasionally, some category other than male or female” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p.