Intersectional (in)visibility of transgender individuals with an ethnic minority background throughout a gender transition: Four longitudinal case studies

This study draws on four longitudinal case studies of transgender individuals with an ethnic minority background that undergo a gender transition while being in employment in the Netherlands. Four individuals were each interviewed four times over a period of 2 years. They were asked to make sense of their experience using a narrative approach. Using an intersectional lens, the findings reveal that non-White transgender individuals experience intersectional invisibility and intersectional hypervisibility in a dynamic and ongoing way, which influences their experiences and concurrently fosters and hinders their gender expression as they go through a gender transition while being in employment. More specifically, we build on the literature on managing (in)visibility by showing how transgender individuals with an ethnic minority background manage their (in)visibility in a dynamic and sometimes strategic way in which they reflect on the perceived consequences of their (in)visibility and then adjust their gender expression and/or strategy to elicit more positive outcomes for themselves. Practical and theoretical implications as well as suggestions to enhance our understanding of this understudied population at work and create a more inclusive work environment are presented.

Automated summary

This study examines the experiences of transgender individuals with an ethnic minority background undergoing gender transition while being employed in the Netherlands. Using a narrative approach, four individuals were interviewed four times over a span of two years. The findings indicate that non-White transgender individuals face both intersectional invisibility and hypervisibility, which significantly impact their experiences and expression of gender during the transition process. The study also highlights how these individuals strategically manage their visibility to achieve more positive outcomes for themselves, offering practical and theoretical implications for understanding and promoting inclusivity for this understudied population in the workplace.