Experiences of body image in the gender non-binary community : A qualitative analysis
Journal article
Burstall, Jaz, Tan, Kian Jin, de la Piedad Garcia, Xochitl and Anderson, Joel R.. (2024). Experiences of body image in the gender non-binary community : A qualitative analysis. Body Image. 51, p. Article 101762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101762
Authors | Burstall, Jaz, Tan, Kian Jin, de la Piedad Garcia, Xochitl and Anderson, Joel R. |
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Abstract | Body image concerns are prevalent within transgender communities – many transgender people engage in disordered eating to suppress or accentuate secondary sex characteristics and reduce gender dysphoria. However, this research has mostly been conducted with binary transgender people. Here, we examine how non-binary people experience and relate to their bodies. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 13 gender non-binary individuals living in Australia. Photo elicitation techniques were utilised, and the transcribed interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: Expansive Understandings of Body Image, Body Image can be Linked to Gender Dysphoria, Cultivating a Preferred Body can Lead to Gender Euphoria, Appreciating Diversity in Non-Binary Body Ideals, The Androgynous Body Ideal is not Universally Accepted, and Experiencing the Body as Functional rather than Aesthetic. The present findings highlight the diversity of experiences of body image for non-binary people. The non-binary concept of body image was found to be expansive, stressing various physical attributes involved in social gender recognition and physiological sources of gender dysphoria. Some participants valued gender-affirming medical intervention, others were accepting of their bodies as they are, attributing their body confidence to the process of affirming their non-binary gender. |
Keywords | body image; body concerns; transgender; gender diverse; LGBT; non-binary |
Year | 2024 |
Journal | Body Image |
Journal citation | 51, p. Article 101762 |
Publisher | Elsevier Ltd |
ISSN | 1740-1445 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101762 |
PubMed ID | 38970851 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85197703029 |
Open access | Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access |
Page range | 1-11 |
Funder | Australian Research Council (ARC) |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 05 Jul 2024 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 17 Jun 2024 |
Deposited | 06 May 2025 |
ARC Funded Research | This output has been funded, wholly or partially, under the Australian Research Council Act 2001 |
Grant ID | DE230101636 |
Additional information | © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/91v6z/experiences-of-body-image-in-the-gender-non-binary-community-a-qualitative-analysis
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OA_Burstall_2024_Experiences_of_body_image_in_the.pdf | |
License: CC BY 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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