NONDISCLOSURE OF TRANS GROUP STATUS AMONG TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS

The purpose of the study was to investigate motivations for concealment of transgender group status beyond a qualitative scale. Additionally, the study aimed to identify the role one’s identity centrality, salience, and valence played in concealment behavior and attitudes. It was hypothesized that factors found in the extant literature (i.e., gender dysphoria, lack of connection, safety, stigma, and discrimination concerns) would apply presently. It was hypothesized that those individuals with low identity centrality, salience, and valence would be less likely to disclose their trans status. Results indicated that the previously named factors for concealment were present among participants with particularly strong support for safety and discrimination concerns. Additionally, it was found that low valence, or how negatively one views one’s trans status, was associated with lower levels of disclosure, while those who did not consider their trans status as highly salient were more likely to report concealment behaviors. A thematic analysis of two open-ended questions within the survey identified conditions under which an individual would disclose their trans status as well as other conditions for nondisclosure not addressed by the questionnaire. Thinking broadly, the implications of this study could help address and ameliorate the impacts of negative societal treatment transgender people have faced. It allows for a better understanding of the priorities some transgender people may hold as it relates to their group status nondisclosure.