Challenging cisgenderism in the ageing and aged care sector: Meeting the needs of older people of trans and/or non‐binary experience

TLDR

Recent Australian policy changes affect trans and non‑binary older adults, who face cisgenderism—an ideology that invalidates their gender identities and bodies, manifesting as pathologisation and misgendering. The study applies the cisgenderism framework to the ageing and aged care sector to improve service provision for older trans and non‑binary individuals.

Abstract

Recent Australian legislative and policy changes can benefit people of trans and/or non-binary experience (e.g. men assigned female with stereotypically 'female' bodies, women assigned male with stereotypically 'male' bodies, and people who identify as genderqueer, agender [having no gender], bi-gender [having two genders] or another gender option). These populations often experience cisgenderism, which previous research defined as 'the ideology that invalidates people's own understanding of their genders and bodies'. Some documented forms of cisgenderism include pathologising (treating people's genders and bodies as disordered) and misgendering (disregarding people's own understanding and classifications of their genders and bodies). This system of classifying people's lived experiences of gender and body invalidation is called the cisgenderism framework. Applying the cisgenderism framework in the ageing and aged care sector can enhance service providers' ability to meet the needs of older people of trans and/or non-binary experience.