Challenging and understanding gendered narratives: the development and validation of the transnormativity measure (TM)

Abstract

Background: Transnormativity refers to the accountability structure that regulates the acceptable gender presentations, narratives, and ways of being of trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals.Aims: The present research extends prior qualitative research on transnormativity to develop and validate the Transnormativity Measure (TM). Methods: The initial developed pool of potential items was presented to a focus groups and three content experts for review. In Study 1 (N = 497), the 69 initial items of the TM hypothesized to underly a six-factor structure were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and construct and discriminant validity were assessed. In Study 2 (N = 540), an independent sample of TNB participants’ TM responses were subjected to Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), invariance testing, and construct and predictive validity. Finally, in Study 3 (N = 107), an Interclass Correlation Coefficients 2-way mixed-effects model of the TM was assessed.Results: EFAs conducted in Study 1 revealed a two-factor structure as the best fit with 50 items removed. Conceptually there was considerable overlap in the items comprising the two factors and it was decided that one general factor should be utilized. Study 1 also provided preliminary construct and discriminant validity due to expected relations between the TM and existing measures of heteronormativity and internalized transphobia. In Study 2 findings from correlational tests of the remaining items revealed that four items were highly correlated and were removed. Subsequent CFA indicated that the one factor model fit the data well. Configural invariance was supported however metric noninvariance was found. Additionally, Study 2 results supported construct and predictive validity through correlations between the TM and measures of TNB community belonginess and mental health outcomes. Finally, Study 3 provided support for test-retest reliability. Discussion: Across three studies, the TM was found to be a valid measure of transnormativity.

Keywords:

• Cisnormativity
• heteronormativity
• measure development
• mental health outcomes
• trans and nonbinary
• transnormativity

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Dr. Austin Johnson, Dr. Paz Galupo, and Nova Bradford for their detailed reviews of the proposed items of the TM.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Role of funding sources

This research received funding from the Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Conflicts of interest/competing interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest nor competing interests to report.

Availability of data and material

The authors have not deposited the data in a publicly accessible database.

Code availability

Not applicable.