(214) Trans Dehumanised: The Lived Experiences of Everyday Encounters

Introduction Trans* people experience prejudice and discrimination daily through processes unique to being trans*. Trans* people are dehumanised through cisgenderist and cissexist processes. This study captured trans* voices of their experiences of dehumanisation. Dehumanisation removes an individual’s subjectivity and creates them as objects. This socially sanctioned objectification results in an assault on the individual in everyday encounters. The experience of this violence impacts wellbeing resulting in individuals adapting and adopting unique ways of managing the process. This study is part of larger study on fear of cisgenderism and cissexism. Objective This study aimed to document trans* people’s lived experiences of dehumanisation to better understand cisgenderism and cissexism processes. Methods A qualitative approach was used in this study to capture the unique narratives and rich data through in-depth interviews. Twenty-two trans* Australian were interviewed by a trans* researcher. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis approach. Results Dehumanisation was one of eight themes identified through the analysis of participants’ narratives on cisgenderism and cissexism. Dehumanisation of trans* people is experienced through four dimensions: sexualisation and fetishisation, objectification, infantilisation and medicalisation. Conclusions This research reveals the lived experiences of dehumanisation on trans* people. Dehumanisation occurs across different life domains including relationships, online dating, workplaces and health-care settings. This research is evidence for the need to challenge the cis-stem’s (cisgendered and cissexist systems) which perpetuate acts of dehumanisation as violence enacted to trans* people. Disclosure No