Talking with Iranian trans women: Their experiences and identity development

Abstract Introduction This research sought to discover the psychological experiences of trans women born and raised in Iran, which incorporates the cultural surround unique to Iran. Method Fourteen trans women aged from 18 to 48, narrated their lives through in-depth interviews. We applied Corbin and Strauss’ (2015) approach to analyze the data in developing a Grounded Theory. Results Confusing Gender Identity (the Core Category) and eight other categories, including macro- and micro-contextual factors, actions/interactions, and consequences, depicted the processes in trans women’s lives; namely Destructive Family Environments, Traumatic Backgrounds, Impediments in Legislative and Medical Systems, disturbed feelings about Masculine Violation, Insecure Relationships, Self-devaluation, Gray Fortunes, and Social Insecurity. A conceptual model is developed from the findings that represent their relationships most comprehensively. Conclusion Findings shed light on female trans individuals’ lives and clarifies the contextual factors in gender-related fields that need extra care from scientific, educational, legislative, and health care associations and professionals in Iran to enhance the overall health of the transgender community as well as the rest of the society. Also, as most findings of the transgender population result from western cultures, this research provided a comprehensive understanding of trans women in a different cultural and political climate.