| Description |
As researchers and theorists continue to assert that gender is a fluid construct, there is still a struggle to acknowledge what that would look like in practice. Hegemonic structures of gender maintain that gender is binary, biological, and static and, although there has been more research to allow for the inclusivity of trans identities, they are still often viewed as static, binary and biological. As more and more legislation targeting trans youth is being proposed, it is important to look at how gender fluidity presents itself in the lives of trans and nonbinary individuals. In order to look at how gender fluidity is experienced, this study investigated the ways that exploratory spaces supported the gender journeys of trans and nonbinary individuals and what barriers they may face in accessing spaces that allow for such exploration. Four participants shared their stories with me during virtual one-on-one interviews with data being collected through a narrative inquiry. Five themes emerged form the data including media reflections and representations, coalescing expressions and identities, femininity and gender legitimacy, the safe/school divide and cultivating exploratory spaces. This research highlighted the importance of recognizing gender fluidity and how spaces to support gender fluidity can be cultivated through constructing shared spaces as exploratory spaces for gender self-discovery. |
