User:Melyquiroz10/sandbox

Transgender and transexual identified individuals view their identity as another aspect of human diversity. Transgender and transexual identity is not to be confused with a mental disorder. To best support individuals who are transitioning, one can start by deconstructing the binary gender system and embracing the wide spectrum of gender diversity. Transgender and transexual individuals identify outside of the heteronormative, traditional gender binary system.The Transgender Emergence Model developed by Arlene Istar Lev, lists the seven steps to support people who are transitioning.

The first step is awareness, which is important because the individual transitioning may not be fully aware of their identity and in consequence may not fully understand why they are experiencing depression, anxiety, and/ or body dysphoria (gender variance or gender dysphoria).

The second step is seeking information from support groups, group therapy, individual therapy with a gender affirming therapist. For a healthy transition, individuals find support from individuals or groups that affirm their identity and provide a safe place to explore what the identity means to them

The third step is disclosure and coming out with a healthy transition. In this step, individuals discuss how to disclose their identity to their loved ones in the support groups or individual therapy.

The fourth step is exploring Identities, which is when an individual is transitioning and thinking about what labels, if any, best fits the individual.

The fifth step is transitioning and body modification, which is when the individual pursues hormone treatment and/ or body modification on their terms. Dependent factors for transitioning and body modification include, health insurance (hormone access, surgeries, mental health services, etc.)

The last step is post-transition challenges, which may include adjusting to society with the new changes that the individual has developed. This may also include supporting relationships, while grieving characteristics of previous identity.

These steps do not happen in chronological order. Rather, it is common for them to overlap with each other.

Grieving Gender Identity
Transitioning is a process that has no chronological order (find source to site this). When an individual is transitioning gender identities through hormone therapy or surgery, they are becoming their full selves. When transitioning gender identities, people that are close to the individual who is transitioning, may experience a sense of loss and a grieving process. This is also understood as an Ambiguous Loss, which is defined by the countering feelings that arise when someone you are connected to or related to, is transitioning. It is the feeling of grief where the item of loss is obscure. Feelings that arise are described as a way of seeing the person who is transitioning as same but different, or both present and absent.