Experience of Embodiment in Trans*Feminine Individuals

The present study sought to investigate trans*feminine experiences of embodiment. The “experience of embodiment” construct is intended to capture how an individual experiences the body in their socio-cultural context and the quality of these experiences, however it has not been investigated in trans*feminine individuals. The present study was approached using a social constructivist epistemology, and integrated the gender minority stress model and principles of intersectionality. To expand our understanding of this construct, trans*feminine participants engaged in focus groups (n=28), a photo-elicitation task (n=25), and one-on-one semi-structured interviews (n=25). Using a combined inductive and deductive approach to reflexive thematic analysis, 5 themes were constructed including (1) Challenging Cisnormativity; (2) Desire: Incoming and Outgoing; (3) Radical Self-Care; (4) Journeys to Alignment; and (5) Gatekeepers and Facilitators of Euphoria. Utilizing a gender minority stress framework to contextualize the findings, the present study provides a rich understanding of embodiment in trans*feminine individuals.