Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Supervised by Mark Gilbert and Drew Clark, University of British Columbia. Trans and nonbinary people experience much worse mental health and access to health care compared to cisgender people. However, many trans people find that their mental health is much better after receiving gender-affirming medical interventions, such as hormones and chest or genital surgeries. Typically, gender-affirming care focuses on reducing dysphoria or distress related to conflict between a trans individual's gender identity and sex assigned at birth. However, many trans people also report experiencing increased gender euphoria (positive gender-related emotions) from gender-affirming care. While gender euphoria is linked to improved mental health and wellbeing, there is very little research on gender euphoria. Specifically, there is no research on how healthcare providers can help promote gender euphoria through gender-affirming care. This research seeks to fill this gap by identifying patient preferences and promising practices for how health care providers can promote gender euphoria to improve the health and wellbeing of trans people. Using qualitative interviews and a community advisory board, research methods will centre the voices and lived experience of trans people themselves. The findings will be used to help health care providers improve the quality of care they provide for their trans patients. Ultimately, improved gender-affirming care will lead to better mental health and wellbeing for trans people.