Lived Experience of Transsexual People in Kermanshah

Gender identity is a situation in which there is a mismatch between the biological gender and the desired gender. The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experience of people with transsexuality in Kermanshah. The theoretical approach is based on Erving Goffman's views on "stigmatization" and gender identity. The research method is phenomenological. The technique of data collection is the interview. The number of interviewees was 22 residents of Kermanshah who were selected using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using the seven-step Coalaizzi method. The results showed that a) people with transsexuality have different feelings about themselves since childhood. B) the awareness of people in the community about these people is low and they are stigmatized; many of these people are physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by society; there are two categories of families in the face of people with gender identity disorder: modern and traditional. Modern families have a somewhat protectionist approach, but traditional families take a repressive and violent approach. C) Gender reassignment surgery is reconstructive surgery. Their identities do not change much before and after surgery. Most of these people have social, financial, and physical problems after surgery and expect financial and moral support from the responsible institutions.