JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Of the 1.6 million transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people in the United States, approximately 700,000 are youth ages 13-24. Many factors make it difficult for TGD young people to identify resources for support and information related to gender identity and medical transition. These range from lack of knowledge to concerns about personal safety in the setting of increased anti-transgender violence and legislative limitations on transgender rights. Online resources may be able to address some of the barriers to finding information and support, but youth may have difficulty finding relevant content or have concerns about the quality and content of information they find online.

Objective:

To understand ways transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young adults look for online information about gender and health.

Methods:

In August 2022, 102 young adults completed a one-time survey including closed- and open- ended responses. Individuals were recruited through the Prolific.co platform. Eligibility was restricted to people between the ages of 18-25 who identified as transgender and were residents of the United States. The initial goal was to recruit 50 White individuals and 50 individuals who identified as black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). 102 people were eventually enrolled.

Results:

Young adults reported looking online for information about a broad range of topics related to both medical- and social- gender affirmation. Most participants preferred to get information via personal stories. Participants expressed a strong preference for getting information from other trans people.

Conclusions:

There is a need for accessible, expert-informed information for TGD youth, particularly more information generated for the transgender community, by members of the community.