Gender euphoria: a grounded theory exploration of experiencing gender affirmation

Abstract

Gender euphoria is a term increasingly used in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) communities. Experiences of gender euphoria are often overlooked during clinical assessment and most academic research tends to focus solely on discussions of gender dysphoria. The primary aim of this study is to use grounded theory combined with photo-elicitation methodologies to gather a more nuanced understanding of experiences of gender euphoria in the lives of TGD individuals. Data for this study was collected via online photo-elicitation interviews with TGD adults (n = 30). Descriptive and visual data clarify gender euphoria as a concept as well as reveal the ways in which it is experienced among TGD adults. The primary themes emerging from the study yield the following four key processes, which explain experiences of gender euphoria: 1. Being exposed to a gender affirming antecedent, 2. Having an affirming thought, 3. Feeling a positive emotion, and 4. Experiencing enhanced quality of life. Participants’ discussions elicited through self-selected images contribute to a more meaningful understanding of gender affirmation in the lives of TGD people. Findings highlight the relationship between gender affirmation, gender euphoria, and the potentiation for long-term positive change.

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