Health of Transgender Women: Gynecological, Hormonal, Sexual and Psychological Management

healthtransgenderwomenkapak

SOCIAL COHESION IN TRANSGENDER WOMEN

Emine Füsun Akyüz Çim

İstanbul Demiroğlu Bilim University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, İstanbul, Türkiye

Akyüz Çim EF. Social Cohesion in Transgender Women. Balsak D, Aksin Ş, eds. Health of Transgender Women: Gynecological, Hormonal, Sexual and Psychological Management. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2025. p.279-285.

ABSTRACT

Social cohesion is defined as the state of living in social harmony by behaving in accordance with social rules, values, and expectations. The ability to integrate into society within the framework of mutual respect while preserving individual identity is considered one of the fundamental elements of social cohesion. Individuals are expected to be in a social structure where they feel safe and peaceful in a cooperative and mutually understanding relationship. The notion of social cohesion is widely regarded as a means of mitigating conflicts stemming from social differences while concurrently fostering principles of justice and inclusivity. Cultural, ethnic, and religious variations among social groups have the potential to engender discord, thereby impeding social cohesion. In contemporary society, numerous minority groups encounter significant impediments to the attainment of social cohesion, attributable to their distinctive characteristics. Transgender women, who are categorized within sexual identity minority groups, are likewise perceived to be confronted with considerable challenges in achieving social cohesion.

Transgender women do not adopt the gender identity biologically assigned to them at birth, thus challenging established gender norms. The cisgenderist belief system, shaped by social sexual identity, has adopted prejudiced thinking and negative behavior patterns that invalidate the sexual identity of minorities. Consequently, transgender women face various forms of discrimination, prejudice, and stigmatization at both the individual and societal levels. This social environment engenders considerable challenges for transgender individuals in navigating social adaptation.

The factors that affect the social cohesion of transgender women can be evaluated under the following subheadings: stigmatization, violence, difficulties related to health services, and invisible discrimination in public spaces. It is imperative to raise awareness about these issues that erode social cohesion and to devise effective solutions that are not only implemented on an individual level but also in institutional, legal, and political contexts.

Keywords: Gender identity; Social cohesion; Social discrimination; Stigmatization; Transgender woman

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