Table of ContentsEffects of Transphobia on Mental Health Status and Career Choices Various Perspectives for Studying the Issue of Transphobia in SocietyConclusionReferences Although segments of today's population are generally more tolerant and accepting of members of the LGBTQ+ community than in the past, the transphobic "epidemic" is still strong, continues to grow, and still negatively affects mental well-being and emotional of transgender people, as well as their safety and health. In 2016, approximately 1.4 million adults in the United States identified as transgender. This number is growing rapidly and prejudice against this population is increasing exponentially with this growth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. These biases exist both on a large scale, as evidenced by high rates of hate crimes and workplace discrimination, and on a smaller scale, in microaggressions. family and friends. The FBI says anti-LGBTQ+ crimes are increasing at a rapid rate. One in two transgender people are sexually abused or assaulted at least once in their lives, and the number is even higher among “transgender youth, transgender people of color, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and those who are involved in in the sex trade. ". Additionally, half of the people who die in violent crimes against the LGBTQ+ community are transgender women. Microaggressions and transphobia are the building blocks of these hate crimes that transgender people face every day. Effects of transphobia on mental health status and career choices Transphobia negatively affects the mental health of transgender people. Suicidal ideation, isolation, shame and alienation are all mental consequences of transphobia that transgender people face. The prejudices of those around them often prevent them from being hired and can lead to safety concerns (hate crimes, sexual abuse/assault, domestic violence). Fear of being unemployed and fear of being hurt also profoundly affect the mental health of transgender people. Due to the mental health effects that the transgender community faces, transphobia is often a topic in pop psychology magazines, like Psychology Today. In a recent article in this journal, the author discusses three studies that seek to understand the causes of transphobia. Researchers have found that transphobia is more prevalent among people who place a high value on the gender binary. They feel “distinctiveness threat,” that is, any action or person that does not adequately fit their conception of their gender group. Since our groups define us, clear gender boundaries are seen as important. The way we wear our hair, our names, and our clothes all help tell us who we are. Transphobia occurs when people fall outside of gender norms because of these outward appearances. Studies also found that trans people who conformed to the original opposite gender were the most threatening. Transphobia negatively impacts transgender people's career choices and advancement potential, their family and friendship relationships, their health and safety, and their mental health. I saw this in my own life, when I was a teenager living in a small town in Arkansas. I was friends with a transgender boy and transphobia followed him everywhere. Hisparents were unsupportive and abused him emotionally, verbally and physically. He flatly refused to seek help because he was afraid of what a counselor or doctor might say, as the city was very conservative. He was bullied at school and teachers often misunderstood him deliberately. Seeing her experience motivated me to research and write about transphobia. The purpose of this article is to educate myself about transphobia and share this knowledge so that boys like my friend can one day find kinder, more enlightened people to go through life with him. I will examine these questions through humanistic behavioral, sociocultural, and psychological perspectives. Various Perspectives for Studying the Issue of Transphobia in Society The humanistic perspective addresses the study of transphobia in gender-conforming people and in transgender people who have internalized transphobia to seek ways in which both groups can move beyond ingrained prejudices to become more open and enlightened, both about the sexuality of others and their own. Humanistic psychologists studied a group of transgender men in Italy. They asked them about their feelings of shame, depression, internalized transphobia, anxiety and resilience. They also asked about any experiences of anti-transgender discrimination they may have had. These researchers focused on minority stress theory, which states that minority groups like the transgender community experience stress because they are in the minority and the majority is prejudiced against them. Researchers found that high resilience was the only anxiety and depression prevention against majority discrimination. This high resilience was usually found in a romantic relationship or support group, and was also a powerful deterrent against internalized transphobia. The study authors concluded that counselors should work to help clients view their self-image as less focused on the gender binary. Viewed from a behavioral perspective, it is clear that microaggressions toward transgender people manifest transphobia in covert and subtle ways. Microaggressions are words or behaviors that casually show disdain and hostility toward oppressed groups, such as the transgender community. One study focused on twelve types of microaggressions experienced by transgender people. These microaggressions include incorrect use of pronouns, assuming all transgender people are alike, treating transgender people like tokens, and condemning them. When confronted with microaggressions, transgender individuals' reactions can vary, but the study revealed three themes in behavioral responses to transphobic microaggressions: direct confrontation, indirect confrontation, and passive coping. Microaggressions can be committed by those who or do not support the transgender community. Because even well-meaning people can overlook negative effects on the transgender community, it is imperative that the general public, and especially those who work closely with the transgender community, are informed about implicit bias and microaggressions. To work to minimize the occurrence of microaggressions toward the transgender community, psychologists and teachers can play a key role. People in positions of authority should be encouraged to take an implicit bias test, like the one created by Harvard University.. 927-933.