Coping With Being Tolerated: Trans Experiences

Abstract

Tolerance is mainly presented as an improvement on discrimination, but research shows that it also can have a negative psychological impact on some minorities. Yet, there is no research into the meanings that minority individuals and trans people in particular append to tolerance. Whether being tolerated is experienced as helpful or hurtful would be an important consideration for public policies promoting tolerance. We interviewed 13 trans and nonbinary people in The Netherlands, investigating subjective interpretations of being tolerated, the identity threats posed by tolerance, and how targets coped with these. We identified three main themes using thematic analysis: (a) tolerance as perpetuating inequality; (b) tolerators’ misunderstandings of trans identity and experience; and (c) dilemmas of coping with being tolerated. Most respondents saw tolerance as a negative experience and found it rare to be recognized as their authentic selves while being tolerated. Progress beyond tolerance was considered necessary for trans liberation.