A new study published in LGBT Health found that frequent exposure to negative depictions of transgender people in the media was significantly associated with clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, global psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder among transgender people.
The study was authored by researchers at The Fenway Institute and Brown University and is believed to be the first of its kind to explore the effects of exposure to negative transgender-related media across a range of platforms on transgender people. It adds to the already-extensive body of research showing a correlation between negative media depictions of stigmatized groups and poorer mental health outcomes since few of the existing studies focus solely on transgender people.
The study’s lead author, Jaclyn White Hughto, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor at Brown University School of Public Health, said, “Nearly all of our study participants reported having seen negative depictions of transgender people in media over the past 12 months. But those who reported greater frequency of exposure to these messages were significantly more likely to exhibit clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety, global psychological distress and PTSD.
“The association held even after adjustments were made for variables such as age, race, income and reported experiences of childhood and/or adult sexual or physical abuse, which suggests that negative media messages may have an independent impact on the mental health of transgender populations exposed to such messages.” Hughto added.
The study, titled “Negative Transgender-Related Media Messages are Associated with Adverse Mental Health Outcomes in a Multi-State Study of Transgender Adults,” was conducted between March and August 2019, when 545 study participants completed a one-time survey assessing demographics, negative transgender-related media messages, violence and mental health.
Participants were asked to rate how often, on a scale from zero to four, that they saw negative messages about transgender people on television, in print newspapers and magazines, and in advertisements and signs, including billboards, yard signs, bumper stickers and flyers.
Key findings include:
• Nearly all (97.6 percent) of the study participants reported having seen negative depictions of transgender people in the media in the prior 12 months.
• The percentage of those reporting negative depictions of transgender people in print media (93.9 percent) and television (93.8 percent) were nearly identical, and 83.1 percent reported having seen negative depictions of transgender people in advertisements and signs.
• More frequent exposure to negative media depictions was associated with 18 percent increased odds of being depressed, 26 percent increased odds of experiencing anxiety, 25 percent increased odds of PTSD and 28 percent increased odds of experiencing global psychological distress.
Hughto said, “Given the prevalence of systemic discrimination against transgender people in employment, health care settings, schools, and housing, we have long known that structural interventions are required to target stigma at its source. Campaigns designed to encourage accurate, non-stigmatizing depictions of transgender people across all media could serve to mitigate the harms of negative media messages to transgender people. In the meantime, clinical interventions can also help transgender people cope with the stress of being exposed to negative transgender-related media.”
— Tammye Nash
Omg Tammye why are you so obsessed with trans people!?! Gays are like 3% of the population; therefore a very small minority and trans are even smaller at like .001% of the population of the world!
Wake up and join the real world. Dallas Voice is a trans publication catering to the smallest minority. If I was an outsider I’d guess all people where trans the way you write about it.
Trans is a mental defect and the whole world shouldn’t cater to someone who needs mental help because they don’t like the body they were born in. Overweight and ugly feel the same but nobody writes about them constantly!
You really are an obnoxious little bigot aren’t you?
Wow, not surprised in name calling from you. Typical of a gay- preach for tolerance and react nasty when someone doesn’t have the same view point. People like u make me hate being gay.
I don’t imagine you need somebody like me to make you hate being gay. Looks like you do that just fine all by yourself.
Yea, being grouped with the same class of people like yourself is bad enough. Atleast I’m not some ugly man/women looking thing. People can still look at me and pass as a straight attractive male. You are just some angry lesbian.
Name-calling? Really? Wow. I thought that was beneath a high-mninded straight-acting person like you. Well, I’m sure it gets pretty stuffy there in your closet, makes you a little muddle-headed and short-tempered sometimes. Living with such self-hate must be so exhausting; I truly hope you are some day able to accept yourself and find peace.