Trans, Gender-diverse and Non-binary Individuals Experienced Safe and Positive Care Within a Gender-affirming Physiotherapy Service: A Qualitative Study
Date
Authors
Neish, C
Marshall, E
Ellis, R
Ker, A
Ross, M
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Abstract
Background: People who are transgender, gender-diverse or non-binary (TGDNB) face barriers to safe and affirming care, and experience disparate health outcomes. The broader lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and other related identities (LGBTQIA+) community report negative experiences in physiotherapy due to cis/heteronormative assumptions, discomfort about touch, observation and undressing, and a lack of practitioner knowledge on TGDNB health. TGDNB individuals have reported positive experiences when accessing general physiotherapy that has inclusive environments, respectful and knowledgeable practitioners, and a collaborative biopsychosocial approach to care. Methods: 20 TGDNB individuals aged 18–38 who accessed a gender-affirming physiotherapy service in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants via videoconferencing software. An inductive approach to reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Four key themes and five subthemes were formed in the analysis. Themes were: 1) ‘Binding and my health’; 2) ‘My choice in holistic and person-centered care’; 3) ‘Experiencing safe and inclusive care with knowledgeable physiotherapists’ through safe communication, practitioners having knowledge on TGDNB health and considering potential discomfort; and 4) ‘Inclusive environments help me feel safe’ via safe environments and safe and warm referrals. Conclusion: TGDNB individuals valued gender-affirming physiotherapy from practitioners who were inclusive, knowledgeable, and emphasized holistic and person-centered approaches to care. Key components of gender-affirming physiotherapy included practitioners addressing binding-related health issues (where appropriate and relevant), having specific training in TGDNB health, promoting autonomy, using inclusive language and fostering welcoming environments.Description
Keywords
4201 Allied Health and Rehabilitation Science, 4203 Health Services and Systems, 42 Health Sciences, 44 Human Society, 4405 Gender Studies, Behavioral and Social Science, Women's Health, Health Disparities, Health Disparities and Racial or Ethnic Minority Health Research, Social Determinants of Health, Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM/LGBT*), 8.1 Organisation and delivery of services, 7.1 Individual care needs, 3 Good Health and Well Being, 1699 Other Studies in Human Society, 1701 Psychology, Public Health, 4206 Public health, 4405 Gender studies, 5205 Social and personality psychology
Source
International Journal of Transgender Health, ISSN: 2689-5269 (Print); 2689-5277 (Online), Informa UK Limited, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/26895269.2025.2575863
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© 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License, which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.