Browsing by Author "Salo, Lyydia"

Objectives. Previous research shows that gender variant children and youth experience more challenges in their growing environments like family, peer relationships and school. In this study the construction of gender identity is understood to be a staged process where social environment can either support or block the construction of diverse gender identity. The mission of this study was to examine the staged construction of gender identity of five gender variant persons in their growing environments of childhood and youth. The aim of this study is to support and expand previous knowledge and to produce more information about the construction of variant identities and the factors that have an influence on them. Methods. Five gender minority representatives between the age of 25–38 years took part in this study. The empirical part of the study is highlighted by the qualitative and narrative methods. The data was collected by semi-structured theme interview that included both open and specific questions about the selected themes. The analysis of the data was carried out by narrative analysis about the storylines of the interviews. Results and conclusions. The narrative construction of the gender identity of the subjects consisted of seven stages: 1. the stage of carefree gender, 2. the stage of gendering, 3. the stage of learned role, 4. the stage of adversity and coping mechanisms, 5. the stage of testing the boundaries, 6. the stage of questioning gender, and 7. the stage of finding and fulfilling gender. The meaning of growing environments of childhood and youth, family, peers and school, were emphasized differently as enabler and challenger of the identity in different stages. The meaning of family was emphasized especially in the stages 1, 6 and 7 and the meaning of peers was emphasized especially in the stages 1-5. School strengthened the challenges of the identity process particularly in the stages 2 and 4. Children and youth compare themselves, experience pressures and difference but also the experience of approval especially in the context of peers. Therefore, we should try to affect the attitudes about gender diversity of the peers by education.