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A qualitative investigation of trans students' experiences with microaggressions at a Canadian university.

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Title: A qualitative investigation of trans students' experiences with microaggressions at a Canadian university.
Authors: Spanierman, Lisa B.1 (AUTHOR) lisa.spanierman@asu.edu, Moody, Chérie2 (AUTHOR), Houshmand, Sara2 (AUTHOR), Smith, Nathan Grant3 (AUTHOR), Jarrett, Tynan A.2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Higher Education (00181560). May2026, Vol. 91 Issue 5, p1699-1721. 23p.
Subject Terms: *Transgender students, *Qualitative research, *Higher education, *Psychological resilience, *Universities & colleges, Microaggressions, Gender identity, Transphobia
Abstract: Trans students continue to face pervasive marginalization within higher education settings. To understand their lived experiences with gender-identity microaggressions, the authors used interpretative phenomenological analysis among trans undergraduate students (N = 4) at a Canadian university. The authors explored whether gender-identity microaggressions manifested differently in a national context undergoing legal reforms to protect trans, Two-Spirit, and nonbinary people (Hébert et al., 2022). Interview participants' rich, nuanced, and often painful accounts supported and extended prior scholarship. Specifically, semi-structured interviews elucidated six microaggressions themes: (a) enduring transphobic language and comments, (b) experiencing erasure, (c) withstanding poking and prying, (d) being outed, (e) being dismissed and trivialized while reporting anti-trans discrimination, and (f) being subjected to cisgenderist, segregated, binary systems and structures. To underscore participants' strength, resilience, and resistance, findings also documented participants' engagement in emotion- and problem-focused strategic responses. The authors situate the findings within the extant literature, suggest directions for future research, and highlight the ongoing need for trans-affirming campus practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Higher Education (00181560) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: A qualitative investigation of trans students' experiences with microaggressions at a Canadian university.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Higher+Education+%2800181560%29%22">Higher Education (00181560)</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 91 Issue 5, p1699-1721. 23p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transgender+students%22">Transgender students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+education%22">Higher education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+resilience%22">Psychological resilience</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microaggressions%22">Microaggressions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+identity%22">Gender identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transphobia%22">Transphobia</searchLink>
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  Data: Trans students continue to face pervasive marginalization within higher education settings. To understand their lived experiences with gender-identity microaggressions, the authors used interpretative phenomenological analysis among trans undergraduate students (N = 4) at a Canadian university. The authors explored whether gender-identity microaggressions manifested differently in a national context undergoing legal reforms to protect trans, Two-Spirit, and nonbinary people (Hébert et al., 2022). Interview participants' rich, nuanced, and often painful accounts supported and extended prior scholarship. Specifically, semi-structured interviews elucidated six microaggressions themes: (a) enduring transphobic language and comments, (b) experiencing erasure, (c) withstanding poking and prying, (d) being outed, (e) being dismissed and trivialized while reporting anti-trans discrimination, and (f) being subjected to cisgenderist, segregated, binary systems and structures. To underscore participants' strength, resilience, and resistance, findings also documented participants' engagement in emotion- and problem-focused strategic responses. The authors situate the findings within the extant literature, suggest directions for future research, and highlight the ongoing need for trans-affirming campus practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Higher Education (00181560) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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              Text: May2026
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