Deferral: the sociology of young trans people’s epiphanies and coming out

Abstract

This paper presents data characterising young trans people's experience during the period prior to coming out to parents as transgender. By analysing data obtained directly from young trans and non-binary people it produces a sociological characterisation of this period overall as the 'Deferral' period. The Deferral Period is further characterised as consisting of two parts; a 'Tacit Deferral' period, prior to epiphany as trans, and subsequent 'Discursive Deferral' period. The data indicate that both these deferral periods vary in length quite considerably but usually seem to be measurable in months and years. In particular these data contest the validity of concept of 'rapidonset gender dysphoria' and the way young trans people are positioned by 'passive victim' narratives in many academic and media accounts. The analysis of the different ways young trans people construct their identities, prior to and after epiphany produces a 'Timeline of revelation'. The data suggest many commonalities of experience among young trans people, and well as some differences and in particular the data exemplify how, young trans and non-binary people's own agency is key in negotiating barriers to transition.

Agentic learning: the pedagogical implications of young trans people’s online learning strategies

“…Self-learning as a young trans or non-binary person who has recently experienced an epiphany or self-revelation that their gender is different from that assigned at birth needs to be regarded as varied, multilayered and complex. It also tends to occur in the absence of any parental involvement or assistance (Kennedy 2020b). Moreover, it is important to recognise that this learning is achieved in the face of, on the one hand, hermeneutical epistemic injustice, which suggests why informing and modelling appear in the relational space and, on the other, testimonial epistemic injustice, suggesting why supporting and responding are also evident.…”

“…Kuper, Adams, and Mustanski (2018) acknowledge that dysphoria can exist in children and young people before they can attach words to it, while Kennedy (2014 p330) points out that young people's self-learning processes can usually only begin in earnest once appropriate vocabulary is acquired. She consequently proposes a two-stage sociological model of 'deferral' that depends on this knowledge acquisition which she describes as 'epiphany' (Kennedy 2020b). Most importantly, Stryker (2006 p13) reminds us how the subjugated knowledges of trans lives and subjectivities need to be regarded as non-uniform across different groups.…”

“…The features of Agentic Learning can be summed up as follows: learner control over all aspects of the learning including the pedagogy, learner participation in curriculum design, and an absence of control by hegemonic forces over the learning environment. This kind of learning often appears to occur after individuals experience a personal epiphany as trans or non-binary, and during the subsequent Discursive Deferral period (Kennedy 2020b), a time when young trans and non-binary people are able to engage in discussion and learning about their circumstances, but prior to coming out to those outside trans communities.…”

An overview of coming out research: Introducing a three‐lens typology

“…Trans-including transgender(ed) or transsexual-is another possible form of gender identification disclosure addressed in coming out research (e.g., Bahadur & Kumar, 2016;Brumbaugh-Johnson & Hull, 2019;Fahs, 2021;Galupo et al, 2014;Garvey et al, 2019;Garvey & Rankin, 2015b;Haimson & Veinot, 2020;Kennedy, 2020;Marques, 2020;Zimman, 2009). It refers to the coming out as having a non-normative gender background (not being cis-gendered), which becomes particularly relevant when 'passing'.…”

The untimeliness of trans youth: The temporal construction of a gender ‘disorder’

“…The “epiphany” of realizing one is transgender requires the acquisition of relevant language (2020: 15), while the process of coming out to one’s parents is often delayed by fears of rejection. More generally, findings in research studies that center the viewpoints of trans subjects demonstrate varied, rich timelines of coming out and socially transitioning, while offering multiple explanations for why family members may be kept unaware (Kennedy, 2020; McDermott et al., 2019; Pearce, 2018; Roen, 2018).…”