Negotiating space for gender affirmation: The lived experiences of transgender and gender diverse young people in Hong Kong

Background Gender affirmation is crucial for the health of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals. However, access to affirmation is frequently compromised for young people by financial strain and housing precarity, particularly in Hong Kong where the high cost of living, high-density housing, and cultural stigma against trans identities and gender diversity intersect to further exacerbate these barriers.Aims: Addressing the scarcity of research on TGD lived experiences in this specific context, this study focuses on young people in the 20–29 age range, which represents a critical period of emerging adulthood, and is guided by Jack Halberstam’s queer space theory to examine how TGD young people in Hong Kong negotiate space for gender affirmation.Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 TGD participants (Mean = 23.2, SD = 2.57) in Hong Kong between April and October 2025.Results Key themes derived through interpretative phenomenological analysis include: (1) navigating physical space for gender affirmation within the domestic space; (2) outsourcing physical spaces for TGD identity expression; and (3) maintaining financial distance to secure gender autonomy. This study demonstrated that by strategically navigating physical space and negotiating relational and financial dynamics under domestic surveillance, TGD young people reoriented their lives away from family rejection and societal gender norms to seek their own queer space for gender affirmation. They were sometimes compelled to make difficult tradeoffs between housing and financial stability and the need for gender affirmation.Conclusions Service providers must prioritize safe and stable housing as a critical component of gender-affirming care. Policy advocacy is essential to offer TGD-inclusive emergency shelters and affordable housing options.