Social-Contextual Influences on Eating Pathology in Transgender and Nonbinary Adults of Color

Abstract

Research indicates that eating pathology, an often lethal cluster of behavioral health concerns, is elevated among Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and among trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse (TGD) people. There is a pressing need to add to the sparse knowledge base about experiences and precipitating factors surrounding eating pathology at the intersection of race and gender. The researchers recruited 161 TGD BIPOC participants who completed measures of internalized transphobia, discrimination trauma, gender dysphoria, and eating pathology. Results indicate that both race- and gender-based discrimination trauma predict eating pathology. Implications for counselors are discussed.

Keywords:

• Disordered eating
• ethnicity
• gender identity
• race
• transgender

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank SAIGE for the funding that made this study possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE) Research Grant.