Abstract

This paper presents data characterizing young trans people’s experience during the period prior to coming out to parents as transgender. By analyzing data obtained directly from young trans and non-binary people it produces a sociological characterization of this period overall as the ‘Deferral’ period. The Deferral Period is further characterized as consisting of two parts; a ‘Tacit Deferral’ period, prior to epiphany as trans, and subsequent ‘Discursive Deferral’ period. The data indicate that both these deferral periods vary in length quite considerably but usually seem to be measurable in months and years. In particular these data contest the validity of concept of ‘rapid-onset gender dysphoria’ and the way young trans people are positioned by ‘passive victim’ narratives in many academic and media accounts. The analysis of the different ways young trans people construct their identities, prior to and after epiphany produces a ‘Timeline of Revelation’. The data suggest many commonalities of experience among young trans people, and well as some differences and in particular the data exemplify how, young trans and non-binary people’s own agency is key in negotiating barriers to transition.

摘要

本文提供了描述年轻跨性别者在作为跨性别父母出柜之前的经历的数据。通过分析直接从年轻的跨性别者和非二元性人群获得的数据，它产生了这一时期的社会学特征，即“延期”时期。延期期的进一步特征是由两部分组成；一个“默契延迟”时期，在顿悟作为反式之前，以及随后的“话语延迟”时期。数据表明，这两个延迟期的长度差异很大，但通常似乎可以以月和年为单位进行衡量。特别是这些数据对“快速发作的性别焦虑症”概念的有效性以及许多学术和媒体报道中的“被动受害者”叙述对年轻跨性别者的定位方式提出了质疑。对年轻跨性别者在顿悟之前和之后构建身份的不同方式的分析产生了“启示时间线”。数据表明，年轻跨性别者的经历有许多共性，也有一些差异，特别是数据说明，年轻跨性别者和非二元性人自己的机构如何在谈判过渡障碍方面发挥关键作用。