- Many participants described experiences of intended misrecognition and disapproval by other people, including family members and peers. 
- Some ways of misrecognition could be more subtle. Some participants described, for example, a feeling of being an ‘object of curiosity’ if friends and family asked too many questions. 
- Misrecognition created a sense of not feeling whole, often accompanied by self-hate. 
- For some youth, misrecognition can also hinder further exploration about who they are. 

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- The importance of other people and the relational dynamic emerged as 
central to understanding how subjective experiences of gender dysphoria develop and unfold. 

Theme: Relating with Others 

Jessen, R. S., Haraldsen, I., & Stänicke, E. (2021). Navigating in the dark: Meta-synthesis of subjective experiences of gender dysphoria amongst transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Social Science & Medicine, 281, 114094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114094

Navigating in the Dark: Meta-Synthesis of Subjective Experiences of Gender Dysphoria Amongst Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Sub-theme: Being Misrecognized by Others

- Seeing gender minority people and being exposed to gender diversity was extremely important to the youth because it helped them in the process of understanding their own gender identity. 
- The recognition that followed exposure to gender diversity enabled exploration of gender for some youth. 
- Being recognized by others in the same way that the youth experienced themselves created a sense of feeling whole and authentic. For some youth, finding a community that mirrored their internal self and offered more flexible gender identities contributed further to a sense of feeling whole. 
- Forming relationships with others, and observing how they are perceived by them, helped gender minority youth clarify gender identity.

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