“How Do I Exist in This Body…That’s Outside of the Norm?” Trans and Nonbinary Experiences of Conformity, Coping, and Connection in Atypical Anorexia

Erin N. Harrop (), Hillary K. Hecht, Vern Harner, Jarrod Call and Brendon T. Holloway
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Erin N. Harrop: Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
Hillary K. Hecht: Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Vern Harner: Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Jarrod Call: School of Social Work and Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
Brendon T. Holloway: Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: Addressing eating disorders (EDs) within trans and nonbinary (TNB) populations is a growing concern, as TNB individuals are two to four times more likely to experience EDs than cisgender women. This study explored the lived experiences of TNB people with atypical anorexia by examining how gender identity impacted experiences of ED illness and (potential) recovery. Nine TNB adults with atypical anorexia were followed for one year and completed semi-structured, in-depth, longitudinal qualitative interviews at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Interviews were coded using Braun and Clark’s thematic analysis procedures. Four themes, along with subthemes, emerged regarding the intersection of gender identity and ED experiences: (1) Conforming, (2) Coping, (3) Connecting, and (4) Critiquing. In Conforming, participants highlighted how societal pressures around gender contributed to ED vulnerability. In Coping, participants explained that their EDs represented attempts to cope with the overlapping influences of body dissatisfaction, gender dysphoria, and body disconnection. In Connecting, participants described ED recovery as a process of connecting to self, others, and communities that welcomed and affirmed their diverse identities. In Critiquing, participants described how current ED treatment settings were often unwelcoming of or unprepared for non-cisgender patients. Overall, participants viewed their EDs as intricately linked to their gender identity and experiences of social pressure and discrimination. This study suggests the need for targeted ED prevention and intervention efforts within TNB communities, and the ethical imperative to meaningfully address the needs of TNB patients in ED treatment settings.

Keywords: eating disorders; gender; transgender; nonbinary; body image; atypical anorexia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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