Proceedings of the Global Conference on Gender Studies
Year: 2023
DOI:
[PDF]
Feminist Ethnographic Case Study: Financial/Emotional Stressors of Parenting Trans-Children
Kay Siebler
ABSTRACT:
This case study offers insights about the struggles of parents of trans-identified children who are socially, legally, and medically transitioning. In this case study we hear Jen, the mother of a 15-year-old trans child, talk about the complex issues involved when a supportive parent advocates for their child’s gender transitions. This research was conducted using a feminist ethnographic approach, meaning the focus of the information is driven by Jen’s own voice and narrative in various contexts. What emerges through Jen’s narration of her lived experiences of parenting is a complicated view of what the parents and families experience when a child transitions. When using a feminist ethnographic approach, the reader will see that Jen’s voice and perspective is foregrounded with the researcher offering short analyses or summaries. The stories Jen tells detail the effects of a child’s transition on supportive parents and family: emotionally, physically, and financially. In considering this approach for future research, one should consider allowing the participant to drive the direction and focus of insights and conclusions. In the feminist ethnographic approach, various sites or contexts for observations/interviews are employed to better understand a complete perspective of the participant’s world. Feminist ethnographies examine artifacts such as photos, news articles, journal entries, or other socio/cultural/personal artifacts provided by the participant. Finally, in feminist ethnographic research, the researcher confronts systems of power at play and overtly articulates biases or shared experiences that might skew or deepen their understanding of the participant’s lived experiences.
keywords: Gender-fluid, gender non-binary, transgender, transgender children, feminist ethnography, gender socialization, gender and family, gender and child-rearing