The Cost of Stigma: Understanding and Addressing Health Implications of Transphobia and Discrimination on Transgender and Gender Diverse People

There are a range of negative experiences trans and gender diverse people encounter when trying to access healthcare in a cis-normative society. These negative experiences, both systemic and interpersonal, produce unique stressors that can lead directly to negative health outcomes including poor physical or mental health. They can also be a barrier to utilising healthcare when a previous experience of discrimination leads to future avoidance of accessing services. It is vital to understand the nature, extent and impact of stressors on trans and gender diverse people’s use of healthcare services. Only then, interventions can be implemented to mitigate stressors and improve healthcare access and utilization.