Source: Transgender Health
Contributors: Dietert, M., Dentice, D., & Keig, Z.
Topic: Mental Health/Health, Research Studies
Population Focus: LGBTQ Military Service Members, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming
Although there are only an estimated 1.4 million people in the United States who identify as transgender, current statistics shows they are more likely to serve in the military than their peers. According to participants in this research study, negotiating their gender identities within the intersection of public/private spaces such as mental health and medical environments was both stressful and complicated. Findings suggest that one key area of importance in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) should continue to focus on how mental health and medical providers and ancillary staff are trained to interact with and provide care for their transgender patients. When it comes to the issue of gender identity, the question remains as to why the VHA provides some treatments for transgender veterans while excluding others.