Navigating masculinity: a psychosocial qualitative study of transgender and non-binary individuals' experiences

Background: The intersection between Critical Studies on Men and Masculinities (CSMM) and Trans Studies (TS) offers important opportunities for understanding how transgender and non-binary (TNB) individuals experience and negotiate masculinity. Despite growing recognition of the need to bridge these fields, limited research has explored TNB individuals’ experiences of masculinity in the Italian context. Methods: This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 15 TNB individuals recruited from a gender-affirming healthcare center in Padua, Italy. Participants included 7 transgender men (46%), 4 transgender women (27%), and 4 nonbinary individuals (27%), ranging in age from 18 to 53 years. Data were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis to explore how participants navigate, resist, and reinterpret hegemonic models of masculinity while constructing meaningful identities. Results: Two main themes were built from the analysis: “Identity and Social Recognition” and “Navigating Masculinity”. The first theme captures the dialectic between internal self-understanding and external validation, encompassing subthemes of “Recognizing Oneself” and “Being Recognized”. The second theme traces participants’ critical engagement with normative masculinity through “Compensatory Behaviors”, “Rejection of Male Models”, and the emergence of “Plural Masculinities”. Participants demonstrated remarkable creativity and resilience in developing authentic masculine identities while navigating social and institutional constraints. Conclusions: The findings reveal that TNB individuals are active agents who creatively navigate and transform gender systems rather than passive recipients of social norms. The study demonstrates the value of integrating CSMM and Trans Studies perspectives and highlights the importance of social recognition and affirming healthcare in supporting positive identity development. The research has important implications for healthcare practice, policy development, and social change efforts aimed at improving support for TNB individuals.

Transgender and non-binary identities; Masculinity; Reflexive thematic analysis

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