Transphobic ‘honour’-based abuse : a conceptual tool

Rogers, MM

Abstract

This paper proposes that an understanding of transphobic ‘honour’-based abuse can be employed as a conceptual tool to explore trans people’s experiences of familial abuse. This conception has evolved by connecting a sociology of shame, Goffman's work on stigma and 'honour'-based ideology. The discussion draws upon findings of a qualitative study which explored trans people's experiences of domestic violence and abuse. Narrative interviews were undertaken with fifteen trans people who had either experienced abuse or whose perceptions were informed experientially through their support of others. Transcripts were analysed using the Listening Guide. Findings indicate that trans people can experience abuse as a result of a family's perceptions of shame and stigma. This paper offers a novel way of conceptualising trans people's experiences of family-based abuse, but it also holds potential for understanding other relational contexts, for example, those of intimate partnerships.

Citation

Rogers, M. (2017). Transphobic ‘honour’-based abuse : a conceptual tool. Sociology, 51(2), 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038515622907

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 19, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 27, 2016
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Feb 1, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 18, 2016
• Journal: Sociology
• Print ISSN: 0038-0385
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8684
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 225-240
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038515622907
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0038038515622907
• Related Public URLs: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/sociology/journal201569