(PS8-48) Gender Joy: A Study of Adolescent Reported Experiences with Gender Euphoria

Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) identities have historically been approached using deficit-based models of gender dysphoria (GD), resulting in sociocultural narratives pathologizing TGE identities and experiences (Marrow, 2023; Riggs et al., 2019). Recently, more and more studies have begun to operationalize and explore gender euphoria (GE; i.e.,  gender joy) as a psychological construct (e.g., Beischel et al., 2021; Benestad, 2010; Jacobsen & Devor, 2022; Lysenko, 2009; Tebbe et al., 2022). And while GE is increasingly being acknowledged as vital within affirmative care practices, little research exists on harnessing and uplifting GE experiences to better inform aspects of care and TGE health promotion (Horton, 2023). Additionally, during a time where TGE youth, a population already experiencing disproportionately high rates of mental and physical health disparities (Newcomb et al., 2019), are being increasingly impacted by the recent tidal wave of anti-transgender legislation (Abreu et al., 2022), the continued focus on the radical experience of TGE resilience and affirmation is vital. This poster spotlights joyful experiences of gender affirmation by prioritizing TGE adolescent (ages 12-17) reported experiences with GE. Qualitative data from intake interviews with 50 adolescents seeking care with a northeast gender affirming care clinic were analyzed using a variation of inductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022; Nowell et al., 2017). Initial findings indicate themes related to internal vs. external affirmation, relationships between GE, self-awareness, and present moment awareness, and the fundamental simplicity of actions eliciting profound feelings of self-love. In an attempt to center the adolescent voices in this study (Horton, 2023), a list of GE “action items,” derived from participant responses, has been developed as a psychoeducational tool for parents and caregivers to help promote experiences of GE for TGE youth.