Journal article
Building capacity to address equity in sexual wellbeing among transgender and gender expansive communities in Philadelphia, United States
International journal of transgender health, pp 1-15
27 Feb 2025
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
BackgroundTransgender and/or gender expansive (TGE) individuals in the United States (US) face barriers to sexual wellbeing. TGE communities have largely been excluded from sex education programs, putting the onus of programming on community agencies and healthcare providers. Acceptable TGE-tailored educational programming for sexual wellbeing has been understudied. Sexual health experts have recently outlined a framework for supporting sexual wellness via comprehensive public health education, recommending attention to the intersecting pillars of sexual health, sexual pleasure, sexual wellbeing, and sexual justice. Guided by this framework, the objective of our study was to ascertain sexual wellbeing program needs among TGE communities.MethodsAs part of a community-engaged research study, we conducted qualitative interviews (n = 29) with TGE individuals (age range: 21-55; 62.1% people of color) residing in Philadelphia to understand sexual wellbeing programmatic needs and preferences. Participants were presented with 11 topics based on the pillars of sexual wellness, and asked to expand upon the three they believed deserve prioritization. Our team performed a thematic analysis on all interviews.ResultsParticipants' most highly ranked topics were consent, boundaries, safety, security, and agency in interpersonal dynamics, trauma-informed and sex-positive sexual wellbeing approaches, and shame, self-esteem and acceptance of gender and sexual identity. Participants identified several intervention strategies for addressing these topics, including in-person, trans-led didactic sessions (e.g. workshops and classes for TGE people) to discuss effective sexual health communication with partners. Participants thought that sexual wellness interventions should be implemented in community-based settings as well as in centralized online resources.ConclusionOur study provides insights for leveraging community priorities into community- and clinic-based programming to support equity in sexual wellbeing for TGE individuals. By incorporating education around safety and trauma-informed approaches, providers may facilitate sexual wellbeing among TGE individuals. Future studies should develop TGE-tailored sexual wellbeing interventions and evaluate their impact on sexual wellbeing indicators.
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Details
- Title
- Building capacity to address equity in sexual wellbeing among transgender and gender expansive communities in Philadelphia, United States
- Creators
- Louis Listerud - University of PennsylvaniaBlake Kosciow - University of PennsylvaniaAri Kirkman - Advisory Board CompanyAlana Richards - University of PennsylvaniaAyden Scheim - Drexel UniversityElena Cyrus - University of Central FloridaDalmacio D. Flores - University of PennsylvaniaFalon Seibert-Burns - Public Health Management CorporationNaiymah A. Sanchez - TGNB Sexual Wellness Study Community Advisory Boar, Philadelphia, PA USAAbigail Kopf - Advisory Board CompanyAhmea Branch - TGNB Sexual Wellness Study Community Advisory Boar, Philadelphia, PA USARobert K. Graves - Public Health Management CorporationLee Carson - Stoneleigh Fdn, Philadelphia, PA USASteven Meanley - University of Pennsylvania
- Publication Details
- International journal of transgender health, pp 1-15
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 15
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001433516800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-86000226481
- Other Identifier
- 991022040180504721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychology, Clinical
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
- Social Sciences, Biomedical
- Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary