ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the complexities of intersecting identities and how these different identities are important to the individual. The active and passive aggressions of gender policing are examples of minority stress, which refers to the distress individuals experience as a consequence of having a minority identity that is socially devalued and persecuted. Minority stress is unique in that it is additive to the typical stressors experienced by the general population. Chronic in that it is rooted in perpetual sociocultural beliefs and practices that work to disadvantage minority identities; and socially-based in that the stress results from constructs and interactions. Societal stigma is an important component involved in minority stress processes and is likely a catalyst for minority stress. The increased burden of minority stress among transgender populations is thought to be a major driver of the numerous health disparities faced by this population.
