Psychomedical Interventions with Transgender People in Portugal and Brazil: A Critical Approach

Liliana Rodrigues, Matilde Soares and Conceição Nogueira
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Liliana Rodrigues: Centre for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Matilde Soares: Centre for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Conceição Nogueira: Centre for Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: This study aims to analyze biopsychomedical interventions with transgender people. For this purpose, we carried out 35 semi-structured interviews with people who self-identify as transsexuals and transvestites in Brazil and Portugal. The responses of the study participants were systematized according to a thematic analysis, which led to the emergence of the following three main themes: “institutional power”, “expectations of trans-bodies”, and “experiences in health services”. This study demonstrates how some trans people perform bodily modifications to fight the transphobia they experience throughout their lives. In addition, they believe that, by making their bodies conform to each other, they may become more attractive and desirable. The process of cisnormativity is, furthermore, conveyed by the idea present in the answers of some respondents: that having “integrated” bodies means facing less discrimination and that they will, therefore, obtain more satisfactory ways of personally and socially experiencing their identities. This study contributes to a deepening critical reflection on the experiences/exclusions of trans people, especially in the psychomedical context of “normalization” devices. Hence, just as social structures produce and sustain transphobia, the same structures are responsible for combating it.

Keywords: psycho/medical interventions; transgender; critical psychology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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