Abstract
Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) individuals are significantly more likely to participate in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) compared to their cisgender counterparts (Morris and Galupo 2019). However, there is a lack of research pertaining to NSSI usage in TGNC populations. This preliminary qualitative content analysis focuses on this population to better understand their perceptions and experiences relating to deviant behavior. An extensive literature review and a discussion of relevant sociological theories were included to create a framework through which to better conceptualize the preliminary analyses. This early-stage research project examined fifteen YouTube videos from three different subgroups within the transgender population, including five videos from male to female or transfeminine individuals, five videos from non-binary or gender non-conforming individuals, and five from female to male or transmasculine individuals. I used a purposive convenience sample to collect and analyze my data.
This content analysis identified 5 major themes which were (1) NSSI, (2) Recovery, (3) Relationships, (4) Gender Identity/Sexuality, and (5) Mental Health. Within each theme, certain subtopics were frequently touched upon such as gender dysphoria, bullying, discrimination/hate, isolation/exclusion, internalized transphobia, self-surgery, coping mechanisms, positive interpersonal support, depression, suicidality, mental healthcare, and more. This study is preliminary, but it uncovered some overarching themes and trends that help reveal different and similar experiences with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) between different gender identities within the transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) community. Some of the limitations of this project include a small sample size and a sampling method which could not ensure a diversity, such as with languages spoken, ethnicity/race, cultural background, SES, education level, and so on. It is important to continue analyzing the experiences of NSSI within the transgender community to better understand how to improve psychological, physical, cultural, and socioeconomic outcomes within the TGNC populations.