Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) populations experience significant health disparities, particularly in regards to mental health outcomes and quality of life. This case study employs a qualitative approach to elucidate barriers and enablers to TGD health and gender-affirming care in Switzerland. Evidence collected from semi-structured interviews with health professionals working with Swiss TGD communities provides a thorough understanding of contemporary resources and obstacles regarding gender-affirming treatment. This research seeks to contribute to scholarship by synthesizing health literature with critical queer theory. Drawing from Butler’s theory of gender performativity, a framework of gender self-determination is advanced as a core principle of health, consistent with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care, Version 8. The findings reveal how systemic marginalization contributes to the pathologization and politicization of TGD healthcare. Community collaboration is identified as a significant resource for TGD communities facing health disparities. Above all, the research highlights the urgent need for combatting structural barriers in policy, insurance, and law that uphold hegemonic binary gender structures and contribute to TGD health disparities in Switzerland.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Lin, Sophie, "“Il n’y a plus de monstres”: A Case Study on Trans and Gender-Diverse Health in Switzerland" (2025). Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy. 14.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/szh2/14