Reviewing Research on Transgender and Nonbinary People in Social Psychology: Insights and Future Research Directions

Transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) identities and issues faced by TGNB people are receiving growing attention in social psychology. At the same time, this is a relatively new area, and most research on LGBTQ+ issues primarily focuses on sexual minorities, whereas most research on gender focuses on women and men. We provide an overview of the social psychological literature on TGNB issues specifically and discuss gaps in the literature that can serve as a springboard for future research. A systematic search identified 48 articles spanning five research themes: stereotyping and prejudice, experiences of stigma and affirmation, support and allyship, physical androgyny and measurements and methods. We summarize findings from these articles and point out future directions that can help enhance social psychology's contributions to solutions for the issues faced by TGNB people in today's highly polarized world.