Description
In response to the growing visibility of trans communities, some countries, suchas Spain, have implemented policies designed to benefit trans individuals and grant them
rights and access to medical and legal services. As such, my dissertation research
centered on trans communities residing in Valencia, Spain, with a comparative focus on
migrant and non-migrant trans individuals to understand how policy changes and their
implementations impacted these communities’ lives. I especially looked at the effects it
was having on migrant trans individuals’ experiences, as their stories are typically
overlooked and under-researched. My research explored the experiences and identities of
33 trans individuals who live in Valencia, Spain, and some surrounding areas. I used a
multi-method and comparative approach and analysis to understand the lives of 19 trans
individuals born in Spain and 14 individuals who migrated from Latin America, Russia,
Ukraine, and Belgium. Relying on intersectional qualitative methodologies, semi-
structured interviews, a photovoice project, archival research, and over 100 hours of
participant observation, my research documents a critical historical moment for trans
communities. Situated in a historical period between 2000 till today, I show how various
trans communities have endured the Franco dictatorship and the various sociopolitical
challenges, including the most recent regional and national election in Spain. This
research focuses on non-migrant and migrant trans individuals’ sense of belonging and
incorporation into Spain’s public and private spheres. The dissertation sheds light on the
immigration experience of trans individuals fleeing their countries of origin, mostly from
Latin America, to escape gender discrimination in hopes of finding a safe place to live in
Spain. It also shows the critical role that social relations and support systems play in their
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overall well-being. Finally, this work focuses on how trans individuals describe their
gender identity, why they have embraced their identity(ies), and how they assert and
display them in different spaces.
Details
Title
- Trans Individuals in Spain: Social and Personal Experiences and Identities of Migrant and Non-Migrant Individuals
Contributors
- Garcia Reyes, Mirtha (Author)
- Estrada, Emir (Thesis advisor)
- Tsuda, Takeyuki (Thesis advisor)
- Danielson, Marivel (Committee member)
- Otero-Hermida, Paula (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2024
Resource Type
Collections this item is in
Note
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Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2024
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Field of study: Anthropology