Gender Euphoria, Affirmation, and Joy: Positive Approaches to Transgender Youth in Educational Settings

This literature review critiques mainstream deficit-based approaches to studies of transgender people and LGBT+ communities. Studies that primarily focus on deficits in the trans community may contribute to an overemphasis on pain and suffering as inherent in the trans experience. This review then defines an alternative positive approach based in gender euphoria and gender pleasure, or positive experiences and affirmation of gender. The review examines both community and academic understandings of these topics. Finally, it explores the value of a focus on gender euphoria in educational contexts. This review concludes that a focus on euphoria and pleasure may be instrumental in allowing all youth to thrive in education and recommends further study on gender euphoria and pleasure.