Self-identity and Social Identity Issues within the Transgender Community

Self-Identity and Social Identity of Transgender People
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Self-Identity and Social Identity of Transgender People
The need to distinguish between or among things or people is a necessary component of life. By making such distinctions through the perception of elements like color, size, and texture, people can make the necessary classifications that enable the organization of the world in which they live. Unfortunately, however, these distinctions are often weapons of discrimination in human society. People are discriminated against or oppressed because of gender, sexuality, skin color, country of origin, ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic status, body size, and political & religious affiliations. As a result, the issues of self-identity and social identity remain increasingly relevant in public, academic, and research domains. These factors also form how people are classified into social groups. For instance, a transgender group exists because its members, naturally and unapologetically, defy the long-known dichotomy of gender divisions, which makes the members distinct (identity). They often face self-identity and social identity dilemmas that they should otherwise not face in any society, civilized or not.
The current paper examines the issues of self-identity and social identity issues within the transgender community. Some of the issues are faced daily, while others are continuous experiences. Cumulatively, the challenges the transgender community faces due to existing negative social constructs, stigma, and stereotypes significantly impact their quality of life and society. The paper will begin with the story of the lived experience of a 70 years old Welsh transgender individual who has spent their entire life either suffering from or fighting against transphobic crime. Based on this story, the paper will dissect the different aspects of self-identity and social identity to provide a comprehensive overview of the community members of this community. Subsequently, the implications of these problems will be discussed, and some of the progress to limit transphobic crime will be highlighted while providing a peek into the future.
Narrative: The Story of Jenny-Anne Bishop
Jenny-Anne Bishop was born (as Paul) in the outskirts of West London in 1945, a time when transgender was a virtually unknown concept and when being gay was a crime. Growing up in Surrey and Kent, the perceived inconsistency between her sense of who she was and her physical appearance occurred at 4. At this age, she wished that she could wake up one morning looking like her sisters, and she longed for that moment when people would say, "Oh, we had a girl, not a boy as we thought" (Bishop, 2016). At six years, she visited a psychiatrist about gender nonconforming behavior. Bishop dressed as a girl in secret throughout her childhood and adult life. Since she lived as a boy, she was forced to borrow her mother's clothes secretly. In other words, she could only be her true self in secrecy. This is because, having been perceived as a boy by the community members, dressing like a girl (in public) was greatly discouraged by her parents, church, and school(s). Throughout her life, she was forced to live as a boy (man) when she identified as a girl (woman) in an absolute sense.
When she went to the university, Bishop learned about transexuals and how some had transitioned. Because she wanted more information on the issue, she consulted her tutors, who dismissed her sentiments, suggesting that marriage would solve her problem. She was married for 35 years before she split with her ex. Living with another woman and bringing up a family of two children intensified her need to be herself within this period. After a discussion with her ex, which was understanding, they agreed that she would not transition fully to her true self: a woman. Subsequently, the marriage did not allow her to take cross-gender hormones or surgery (Bishop, 2017). She also attended a support group once a week and attended trans weekend events three times a year. Her struggles made her suicidal multiple times, but her wife and trans friends helped her.
In 2010 however, Bishop decided to make a complete gender transition to become a woman, to be her true self. As a result of the decision, Bishop is separated from her family and has not spoken to her two children in a decade. Attempts to meet her children have mainly remained futile. In 2011, Bishop moved on and married a transgender partner. Elen, at the age of 71. She underwent her surgery at 68 years old, marking six long and difficult decades of struggle with self-and social identity. Her struggles have impacted her social and professional life in equal measure.
Bishop is a graduate in Industrial Chemistry from City University London and worked for 35 years as a sales and marketing manager (and Paul) of scientific instruments. Because of her gender, Bishop narrates that she has lost her job five times, with the latest coming after passing the equality legislation bill. The organization fired her from one of her jobs and then communicated to all other potential employers not to employ her because she was trans. Her encounter with police officers has not been friendly either. Bishop was pulled over in one incident and asked an officer whether she could drive the company car dressed as a woman (Bishop, 2016). The officer went as far as calling her employer to report that she was dressed as a woman. When the police officer ousted her, Bishop could not have imagined walking into a police station.
Upon her complete transition in 2007, Bishop had difficulties finding an area to live. Occasionally, people damaged her car, and phrases like 'the trannies live here' were painted on her house. As a result, she was forced to relocate several times, eventually settling in North Wales, where no one knew her, and experienced little or no abuse from neighbors or social places. Today, Bishop has since retired and is actively involved as an advocate for the LGBT community. She is a lay pastoral leader, a Manchester Metropolitan Church Committee member, and the Westminster Parliament Forum on Gender identity (About_me, n.d.). Further, Bishop is a trustee in several LGBT organizations and foundations through which she fights hate crime and advocates for equality & diversity standards.
Critical Issues in Bishop's Lived Experience Narrative
Bishop's narrative in the previous sections is not a comprehensive outlook of her 71 years of life both as a human being and a transgender individual. While her story is unique, it resonates with struggles faced by members of the transgender community in several dimensions. These dimensions include self-identity and social identity. These two aspects are significant shapers of an individual's quality of life because they determine how the members of the transgender community interact with people, social institutions, government agencies (law enforcement), and business organizations (as employees) and the outcomes of these interactions. These are vital areas that determine the quality of life an individual leads and their desire to live in the first place. This is why Bishop experiences suicidal thoughts many times throughout her life. Bishop's story was chosen because she has lived through a period in which there has been tremendous growth in protecting the rights of transgender members. However, these developments continue to experience social and political backlash; thus, the current paper's motivation.
Self-Identity
Self-identity is the recognition or perception of one's traits as a particular individual regarding the social context in which they live. It is the prominent and stable aspect of one's self-perception. Each individual has numerous combinations of personality traits, physical attributes, social roles, internal characteristics, and social roles that differentiate from or are similar to other people. For instance, the physical attributes make him a man in the first place. Similarly, the physical attributes of the female gender are the basis on which a person is defined as a woman. In 1945, when Bishop was born, the transgender concept was largely alien, meaning that, while she had a name a social role (as a boy), she did not know her identity until she visited a psychiatrist. Self-identity is essential because it strengthens the character, creates confidence, builds self-esteem, and allows individuals to be free to live an everyday life while being true selves (Verplanken & Sui, 2019). In other words, a person experiencing problems with self-identity is incapable of leading an everyday and fulfilling life. Often, due to inherent societal constructs, society creates the forces that stop people, especially minority groups, from reconciling with the issue of self-identity.
According to the American Psychology Association (APA, 2021), transgender and gender-variant often seek the help of psychologists help in understanding their gender identities and patterns of gender expression. Gender identities and patterns are critical because they help address this population's complex relational and social issues. Additionally, when transgender individuals seek medical services to make their bodies more congruent with their gender identities, input from mental health professionals is often ne...