Abstract
This study sought to fill that gap in the literature surrounding discrimination of trans people within inpatient psychiatric hospital settings. Qualitative methods were used to center trans perspectives and amplify study participants’ recommendations for change. Three trans adults who had previously experienced an inpatient hospitalization were recruited through a mental health center in the Northern California region. Data was collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Key findings surrounding participants’ experiences of discrimination included general provider incompetence around trans care, electronic medical records insufficiencies, compounded distress due to the inpatient environment, and transphobic aggression by another inpatient. Participants recommended that inpatient facilities initiate provider training in trans care, improve medical records systems to be trans inclusive, and modify policies around gendered living space assignments. Each participant demonstrated resilience during their hospital stays as well as in their contributions to this study. Study findings have far-reaching implications for the social work field and presents a call for social workers to develop trans-affirmative practices and challenge the impacts of the gender binary construct.