Transgender experiences of occupation and the environment: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: ‘Cisnormativity’ refers to the Western cultural belief that gender (man/woman) mirrors sex (male/female). This review considers the occupational experiences of people whose gender identity differs from what is expected based on their sex at birth, gender identities operationalised as ‘transgender’. Method: A scoping review was conducted to examine the subjective experiences of occupation for transgender people and the enabling and/or restrictive features of the environment. Forty-one studies were reviewed, using inductive and deductive thematic analysis methods. Results: Three major themes relating to occupational experiences were identified: a) doing difference: gender expression and transition, b) recognisably different: macroaggressions and transphobia, and c) responding to difference: adaptation and identity affirmation. Environmental barriers were reported at a higher frequency than enabling features and pertained to social, physical, cultural and institutional factors. Conclusions: While occupation enables expression of transgender identities, cisnormative ideology shapes participatory norms in Euro-Western contexts. Occupational opportunities are unequal for transgender people, with the policing of binary gender restricting opportunities for inclusion and participation. This review functions as a critical starting point for broader conceptual thinking on occupation, resistance and identity-management for people who are transgender.

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