HomeAbstract of 5th-lgbtconfVictimization, Boundary Violations, and Alienation among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals with Psychiatric Diagnoses by Medical Professionals in the Mental Health System

Victimization, Boundary Violations, and Alienation among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals with Psychiatric Diagnoses by Medical Professionals in the Mental Health System

  • Apr 20, 2026
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Abstract Book of the 5th International Conference on LGBT studies

Year: 2026

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Victimization, Boundary Violations, and Alienation among Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals with Psychiatric Diagnoses by Medical Professionals in the Mental Health System

Nati Biton

ABSTRACT:

This qualitative phenomenological study examines the experiences of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals with psychiatric diagnoses in their professional encounters with medical professionals within the Israeli mental health system. Guided by intersectionality theory, the current research seeks to examine how TGD individuals with psychiatric diagnoses experience and interpret relationships with medical professionals in the mental health system, as well as the different ways in which gaps in professional knowledge are expressed in these interactions. Sixteen participants were interviewed through semi-structured in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed thematically. Three main themes emerged: (1) Experiences of Victimization, boundary violation, and Rejection, (2) Humiliation and alienation due to lack of professional knowledge, and (3) fear and avoidance of disclosing identity to medical professionals. The findings demonstrate how the mental health system can reproduce trauma, rejection, and vulnerability through the relationships between medical professionals and TGD individuals with psychiatric diagnoses, thereby perpetuating distrust of the system, institutional stigma, and epistemic exclusion. The study highlights the urgent need for gender-affirming, trauma-informed, and culturally competent mental health practices, supported by structural reforms and professional training. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of intersectoral inequalities and offers practical insights for improving health services and care for people with TGD worldwide.

Keywords: Transgender and gender diverse (TGD), Health care, Mental health, Intersectionality, Victimization