The epistemological construction of transsexuality: the science, nursing and common sense

Abstract

Objective: To know the common sense of transsexual women in reaction to the transsexual process and to discuss the epistemological construction about the transsexuality and nursing in this process. Method: Qualitative research, carried out between May and June 2017, with 90 transsexual women attending a specialized center. Results: The common sense of the interviewees evidenced the transsexuality as an identity issue and not a disease, barriers to attendance in health demands and absence of the nursing professional. Discussion: The epistemological construction of the transsexuality takes place through science, which instrumentalized the Transsexual Process Policy and does not have the knowledge presented by the common sense of the users. Conclusion and implications for nursing practice: Science has a role to create order and practices from the refinement of common sense, but does not use the common sense of transsexual women in the epistemological construction of transsexuality, which compromises care and reinforces stereotyped and pathological character by health professionals. Science has the power to validate common sense, sedimenting the care to transsexual women, especially nursing practice. Nursing has the challenge of understanding issues related to transsexuality by articulating common sense with scientific knowledge.

Social identity of transgender persons: concept analysis and proposition of nursing diagnoses

“…Therefore, understanding the social identity of the transgender person, especially in the field of health, provides interfaces to be discussed for the construction of an appropriate nursing practice for this group. Empirical and conceptual researches provide elements for the construction of knowledge that, together with theoretical and philosophical supports, enables a different look at practice (10) .…”

Transgender people in the nursing discourse: An integrative review

“…The reasons for not seeking adequate care reported are due to negative experiences with health professionals, such as disrespect and professional unpreparedness (Cornelius & Whitaker‐Brown, 2016). On the other hand, they report the possibility of inclusive care through recognizing their vulnerability as trans women who feel “self‐repulsed by the image of the phallus”, the availability of speech therapists to train their docile vocalization and individualized guidance about hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery (Andrade et al, 2018; Cornelius & Whitaker‐Brown, 2016; Janini et al, 2019; Petry, 2015).…”

“…The cisnormative discourse is based on the idea that being a cisgender (person who their sense of gender/identity is the same than their assigned sex at birth) is the norm (Anderson, 2020). Consequently, the nurses' assistance/care disciplinary training system does not escape from this reality, which contributes to promoting consolidation and reproduction of professional practices with limited and timid capacities of social and comprehensive care (Jackman et al, 2019; Janini et al, 2019).…”

“…This shows some invisibility of the nurses' work, but not that they would necessarily not be present in the care provided (Janini et al, 2019). Others only reported negative experiences with the health professionals, although without specifying them (Cornelius & Whitaker-Brown, 2016).…”

Câncer em neovagina de mulheres trans: uma revisão sistemática

“…A cirurgia de readequação de gênero, também conhecida como vaginoplastia, pode ser fundamental para transição física de mulheres transexuais, condição em que possuem identidade de gênero feminina e sexo de nascimento masculino (Janini et al, 2019;Janini & Santos, 2020;Pariser & Kim, 2019). A vaginoplastia é uma técnica útil disponibilizada via política de saúde do Processo transexualizador (Brasil, 2008(Brasil, , 2013b) para as usuárias que sentem incômodo falocêntrico, oferece a oportunidade de remoção da genitália masculina e uma aparência de gênero congruente a sua identidade de gênero (Pariser & Kim, 2019).…”