Body esteem and sexual orientation: Differences between trans and general population
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55414/b2dq8m59Keywords:
Transgender, Body image, Sexual orientation, Gender identityAbstract
Introduction: A variety of factors, including gender identity and sexual orientation, have been identified as potential influencers of body image. However, research exploring the relationship between transgender non-binary (TGNB) identity, sexual orientation, and their impact on body image is limited. This study aims to examine how gender identity and sexual orientation shape body esteem in both the TGNB and general populations. Method: this cross-sectional study compares the body image of a group from the Madrid Intersex and Transsexuality Unit (UIT) (n=149) with two control groups: a university group (n=184) and an online survey group (n=86). Results: The results suggest that the UIT group report lower body esteem than the general population groups. Sexual orientation has little influence on body esteem, except for women's perceptions of sexual attractiveness. Affirmative treatments improve body image in female TGNB but not in male TGNB. Discussion: TGNB individuals experience lower body esteem than individuals in the general population, although affirmative treatment can improve their body image. Understanding gender and sexual orientation differences allows for individualized psychological support.
Downloads
References
Ålgars, Monica; Santtila, Pekka y Sandnabba, N. Kenneth. (2010). Conflicted gender identity, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in adult men and women. Sex Roles, 63(1-2), 118-125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9758-6
Alvy, Lisa M. (2013). Do lesbian women have a better body image? Comparisons with heterosexual women and model of lesbian-specific factors. Body Image, 10(4), 524-534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.06.002
American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (5th Ed). American Psychiatric Association.
American Psychological Association (2015). Guidelines for psychological practice with transgender and gender nonconforming people. American Psychologist, 70(9), 832-864. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039906
Anzani, Annalisa; Lindley, Louis; Tognasso, Giacomo; Galupo, M. Paz y Prunas, Antonio (2021). “Being talked to like I was a sex toy, like being transgender was simply for the enjoyment of someone else”: Fetishization and sexualization of transgender and nonbinary individuals. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 50(3), 897-911. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01935-8
Bandini, Elisa; Fisher, Alessandra; Castellini, Giovanni; Lo Sauro, Carolina; Lelli, Lorenzo; Meriggiola, Maria; Casale, Helen; Benni, Laura; Ferruccio, Naika; Faravelli, Carlo; Dettore, Davide; Maggi, Mario y Ricca, Valdo (2013). Gender identity disorder and eating disorders: Similarities and differences in terms of body uneasiness. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10(4), 1012-1023. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12062
Basabas, Maria C.; Greaves, Lara; Barlow, Fiona K. y Sibley, Chris G. (2019). Sexual orientation moderates the effect of gender on body satisfaction: results from a national probability sample. The Journal of Sex Research, 56(9), 1091-1100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1667947
Bassett-Gunter, Rebecca; McEwan, Desmond y Kamarhie, Aria (2017). Physical activity and body image among men and boys: A meta-analysis. Body Image, 22, 114-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.06.007
Becerra-Fernández, Antonio; Rodríguez-Molina, José Miguel; Asenjo-Araque, Nuria; Lucio-Pérez, María Jesús; Cuchi-Alfaro, Miguel; García-Camba, Eduardo; Pérez-López, Gilberto; Menacho-Román, Miriam; Berrocal-Sertucha, M. Carmen; Ly-Pen, Domingo y Aguilar-Vilas, María (2017). Prevalence, incidence, and sex ratio of transsexualism in the autonomous region of Madrid (Spain) according to healthcare demand. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(5), 1307-1312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-0955-z
Becker, Inga; Auer, Matthias; Barkmann, Claus; Fuss, Johannes; Möller, Birgit; Nieder, Timo O.; Fahrenkrug, Saskia; Hildebrandt, Thomas y Richter-Appelt, Hertha (2018). A cross-sectional multicenter study of multidimensional body image in adolescents and adults with gender dysphoria before and after transition-related medical interventions. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47(8), 2335-2347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1278-4
Becker, Inga; Nieder, Timo O.; Cerwenka, Susanne; Briken, Peer; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P.C.; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T.; Cuypere, Griet; Haraldsen, Ira R.H. y Richter-Appelt, Hertha (2015). Body image in young gender dysphoric adults: An European multi-center study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(3), 559-574. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0527-z
Calogero, Rachel M. (2012). Objectification theory, self-objectification, and body image. En Tom F. Cash (Ed.), Encyclopedia of body image and human appearance (pp. 574-580). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384925-0.00091-2
Cho, Sumi; Crenshaw, Kimberlé W. y McCall, Leslie (2013). Toward a field of intersectionality studies: Theory, applications, and praxis. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 38(4), 785-810. https://doi.org/10.1086/669608
Coleman, Eli; Radix, Asa E.; Bouman, Walter P.; Brown, George R.; De Vries, Annelou L.C.; Deutsch, Madeline B.; Ettner, Randi; Fraser, Lin; Goodman, Michael; Green, John; Hancock, Adrienne B.; Johnson, Thomas W.; Karasic, Dan H.; Knudson, Gail A.; Leibowitz, Scott F.; Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F.L.; Monstrey, Stan J.; Motmans, Joz; Nahata, Leena y Arcelus, Jon (2022). Standards of care for the health of transgender and gender diverse people, Version 8. International Journal of Transgender Health, 23(1), S1-S259. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644
Comiskey, Allison; Parent, Mike C. y Tebbe, Elliot A. (2020). An inhospitable world: Exploring a model of objectification theory with trans women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 44(1), 105-116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684319889595
Fisher, Alessandra D.; Castellini, Giovanni; Bandini, Elisa; Casale, Helen; Fanni, Egidia; Benni, Laura; Ferruccio, Naika; Meriggiola, Maria C.; Manieri, Chiara; Gualerzi, Anna; Jannini, Emmanuele; Oppo, Alessandro; Ricca, Valdo; Maggi, Mario y Rellini, Alessandra H. (2013). Cross-sex hormonal treatment and body uneasiness in individuals with gender dysphoria. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11(3), 709-719. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12413
Franzoi, Stephen L. y Shields, Stephanie A. (1984). The Body Esteem Scale: Multidimensional structure and sex differences in a college population. Journal of Personality Assessment, 48(2), 173-178. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4802_12
Frederick, David A.; Hazzard, Vivienne M.; Schaefer, Lauren M.; Rodgers, Rachel F.; Gordon, Allegra R.; Tylka, Tracy L.; Pennesi, Jamie-Lee; Convertino, Lexie; Parent, Michel C.; Brown, Tiffany A.; Compte, Emilio J.; Cook-Cottone, Catherine P.; Crerand, Canice E.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.; Nagata, Jason M.; Perez, Marisol; Pila, Eva; Thompson, J. Kevin y Murray, Stuart B. (2022). Sexual orientation differences in pathways from sociocultural and objectification constructs to body satisfaction: The U.S. Body Project I. Body Image, 41, 181-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.02.002
Gillen, Meghan M. y Markey, Charlotte H. (2019). A review of research linking body image and sexual well-being. Body Image, 31, 294-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.12.004
Grogan, Sarah (2022). Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children (4th Ed.). Routledge.
He, Jinbo; Sun, Shaojing; Lin, Zhicheng y Fan, Xitao (2020). Body dissatisfaction and sexual orientations: A quantitative synthesis of 30 years research findings. Clinical Psychology Review, 81, 101896 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101896
Jorquera, Mercedes; Baños, Rosa M.; Perpiñá, Conxa y Botella, Cristina (2005). La Escala de Estima Corporal (BES): validación en una muestra española. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 10(3), 173-192. https://doi.org/10.5944/rppc.vol.10.num.3.2005.4001
Kahalon, Rotem; Shnabel, Nurit y Becker, Julia C. (2018). Experimental studies on state self-objectification: A review and an integrative process model. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01268
Mendelson, Beverly K.; Mendelson, Morton J. y White, Donna R. (2001). Body-Esteem Scale for adolescents and adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76(1), 90-106. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA7601_6
Meneguzzo, Paolo; Zuccaretti, Aniele; Tenconi, Elena y Favaro, Angela (2024). Transgender body image: Weight dissatisfaction, objectification & identity - Complex interplay explored via matched group. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 24(1), 100441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100441
Mirabella, Marta; Giovanardi, Guido; Fortunato, Alexandro; Senofonte, Giuli;, Lombardo, Francesco; Lingiardi, Vittorio y Speranza, Anna M. (2020). The body I live in. Perceptions and meanings of body dissatisfaction in young transgender adults: A qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(11), 3733. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9113733
Mofradidoost, Reyhane y Abolghasemi, Abbas (2020). Body image concern and gender identities between transgender and cisgender persons from Iran. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 46(3), 260-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1683665
Morrison, Melanie A.; Morrison, Todd G. y Sager, Cheryl-Lee (2004). Does body satisfaction differ between gay men and lesbian women and heterosexual men and women? Body Image, 1(2), 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2004.01.002
Peat, Christine M.; Peyerl, Naomi L.; Ferraro, F. Ric y Butler, Mary (2011). Age and body image in Caucasian men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 12(2), 195-200. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021478
Peplau, Letitia A.; Frederick, David A.; Yee, Curtis; Maisel, Natalya; Lever, Janet y Ghavami, Negin (2009). Body image satisfaction in heterosexual, gay, and lesbian adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38(5), 713-725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9378-1
Pop, Cristiana (2016). Self-esteem and body image perception in a sample of university students. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 16(64), 31-44. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2016.64.2
Simpson, Brandon (2023). Assessing and understanding body image and body satisfaction in gay and bisexual men through objectification theory. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 39(2), 1-13 https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2023.2258350
Sood, Rachita; Chen, Diane; Muldoon, Abigail L.; Chen, Liqi; Kwasny, Mary J.; Simons, Lisa K.; Gangopadhyay, Noopur; Corcoran, Julia F. y Sumanas, Jordan W. (2021). Association of chest dysphoria with anxiety and depression in transmasculine and nonbinary adolescents seeking gender-affirming care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(6), 1135-1141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.02.024
Soto-Ruiz, María; Marín-Fernández, Blanca; Aguinaga-Ontoso, Inés; Guillén-Grima, Francisco; Serrano-Monzó, Inmaculada; Canga-Armayor, Navidad y Annan, James (2015). Análisis de la percepción de la imagen corporal que tienen los estudiantes universitarios de Navarra. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 31(5), 2269-2275. https://dx.doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.31.5.7418
Williams, Colin J.; Weinberg, Martin S. y Rosenberger, Joshua G. (2013). Trans men: Embodiments, identities, and sexualities. Sociological Forum, 28(4), 719-741. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12056
Williams, Colin J.; Weinberg, Martin S. y Rosenberger, Joshua G. (2016). Trans women doing sex in San Francisco. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(7), 1665-1678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0730-6
Witcomb, Gemma L.; Bouman, Walter P.; Brewin, Nicola; Richards, Christina; Fernandez‐Aranda, Fernando y Arcelus, Jon. (2015). Body image dissatisfaction and eating‐related psychopathology in trans individuals: A matched control study. European Eating Disorders Review, 23(4), 287-293. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2362
Woertman, Liesbeth y Van den Brink, Femke (2012). Body image and female sexual functioning and behavior: A review. The Journal of Sex Research, 49(2-3), 184-211. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.658586
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Apuntes de Psicología
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
