(Em)bracing liminality - A phenomenological exploration of non-binary individuals' subjective embodiment

Taylor, Jessica

Abstract

There is limited research on the experiences of trans and non-binary individuals, and the research that has been conducted has attracted criticism from the trans and non-binary community on the grounds of not adequately respecting and accounting for lived experience. Alongside this, the experiences of non-binary individuals have tended to be subsumed under the trans umbrella and thus often lost to data synthesis and aggregation, therefore research focusing specifically on their experiences is necessary. In particular, explorations of non-binary embodiment are lacking and given the role embodiment plays in our sense of wellbeing, as well as the role bodily modification may play in trans experience, this could benefit from exploration. Ultimately, this lack may contribute to the dearth reported in the training and competence of psychological professionals who work with the non-binary community, highlighting a need to better understand non-binary individuals from an holistic perspective. In the current study, the aim has been to address these deficiencies utilising a descriptive phenomenological stance. To this end, one hundred and nine qualitative surveys, eleven journals and nine asynchronous email interviews completed by or with self-identified non-binary individuals, recruited through trans and non-binary forums on Reddit, were conducted and then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. This resulted in three themes being constructed from the data: My body is my canvas for self-expression, Betrayed by the story it tells others about who I am and It’s not the kind of ship I want to pilot, with these revolving around a central construct of (em)bracing liminality. Overall, these themes act to highlight the way in which embodying a non-binary gendered identity can be both a fraught experience of betrayal, alienation, compromise and ambivalence and an uplifting one of individualised self-expression, pride and resistance to an oppressive binary norm. The implication of these for counselling psychology are discussed, as is a reflection on asynchronous emails and online journaling as appropriate research methods for this community.

Citation

Taylor, J. (Em)bracing liminality - A phenomenological exploration of non-binary individuals' subjective embodiment. (Thesis). University of the West of England. Retrieved from https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8546149

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2022
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8546149
• Award Date: Jun 6, 2022