conflict between sex and gender identity: a Study on transsexual's social adjustment in Iran

This article tries to understand Iranian transsexuals re socialization process. transsexuals having been suffered from lack of social acceptance and social recognition based on their bodily features and behaviors as well. they are been struggling a contradiction between their sex and gender identity. understanding their situation a mixed method based on ethnography and survey was designed and conducted among transsexuals whom were available in Tehran. participatory observation, semi structured interviews and focus group discussion are implemented during the ethnography and a questionnaire was designed for conducting survey. confronting reality and theories different concepts such as body management, different social identities, social recognition, social stigma and social re-socialization were reviewed. based on findings we realized they have a hard struggle to be recognized by different social institutes and social primary groups; but on the ground of social exclusion they may not being successfully re -socialized and adjusted in society. social exclusion is a very important obstacle for their successful re-socialization. Family and school are two the most important primary group in their social re_socialization and social recognition process.based on restrict social exclusion for them, they usually tries committing suicide, escaping from home, school or even university. between transsexuals, those whom transform from female to male usually experience more social support from family and reach a better social recognition process.