Gender identity - young people who identify as neither male nor female
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative exploration of gender identity in young people who identify as neither male nor female
IRAS ID
176936
Contact name
Ellen Boddington
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Univeristy of East London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The proposed research study aims to begin the process of understanding non-binary gender identity (those who identify as neither male nor female) in young people, by exploring qualitatively how young people themselves describe their gender identity. Those with gender variance are more likely to experience psychological distress and often experience negative judgement from others and can experience harassment and victimisation. Young people who have gender identities that are neither male nor female face the additional challenge of negotiating a society that divides the world according to binary categorisations of gender (male or female). Health and gender identity services often do not consider gender identities that are neither male nor female and research into gender identities that are nether male nor female are often subsumed under the broad umbrella of transgender. The proposed research is therefore important in providing knowledge for the clinical development of gender identity services and psychological intervention to help young people explore and understand their neither male nor female gender identities.
The research questions that this study seeks to answer are: How do young people who identify as neither male nor female describe their gender identity? What do these young people say about their relationships with regard to their gender identity? What, if anything, do these young people want from services? Young people aged between 11 and 18 attended an NHS gender identity service or a third sector gender identity service will be interviewed and data will be analysed using the qualitative methodology of Constructionist Grounded Theory.REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1128
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion