Abstract

“I think after coming out and realizing that I was trans, I attempt[ed] to make my body shapeless. I was accepting the message that the skinnier you are, the more androgynous you look. And so my attempts to use those behaviors was... about making my breasts as small as possible, making my hips as small as possible and making my thighs as small as possible. Because doing all those things would mean that I would get to wear clothes from the men's section without feeling like I stood out.” Elliot, Asheville, NC Elliot’s statement demonstrates an underreported but widespread phenomenon that is the subject of this research project. Research indicates that high levels of body dissatisfaction are present in young adult populations; however, limited research has examined the body image experiences of transgender and nonbinary young adults. In addition to the social influences on body image experienced by all young adults, transgender individuals must navigate unique gender- and body-based concerns. Transgender people additionally face interpersonal and institutional discrimination, and are an understudied and underserved population. This qualitative study explores the subjective experiences through which gender dysphoria and non-cisgender identity contribute to body dissatisfaction among ten transgender and nonbinary young adults (18-22) from North Carolina. Interview questions address topics including participants’ body image, gender dysphoria, weight- and shape-control behaviors, and interactions between gender identity and body dissatisfaction. Findings indicate that gender dysphoria and body dissatisfaction are mutually constitutive in the experiences of transgender and nonbinary young adults. Study participants described how gender dysphoria triggered disordered eating behaviors, and how body size influenced the salience of dysphoria. Thinness was viewed as a tool to aid them in navigating a society structured by both transphobia and anti-fat bias. Like Elliot, multiple participants highlighted the role that body size and shape play in the ability to embody one’s gender identity. This study contributes to the literature by expanding analysis to nonbinary young adults, an understudied population, and focusing on the intersections of gender minority status and body image.

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