Content area
Full text
DOI: 10.1007/s11199-005-7140-xSex Roles, Vol. 53, Nos. 7/8, October 2005 ( C 2005)The Development and Validation of the
Genderism and Transphobia ScaleDarryl B. Hill1,3 and Brian L. B. Willoughby2A series of three studies were conducted to develop and validate a scale to measure violence, harassment, and discrimination toward cross-dressers, transgenderists, and transsexuals. In Study 1, we developed the Genderism and Transphobia Scale (GTS). In Study 2, we
established the GTSs ability to predict parents reactions to either a gender conforming or a
gender non-conforming boy or girl. Correlations between the GTS and scales that assess homophobia and gender role ideologies suggest convergent validity. In Study 3, we conducted a
factor analysis of the scale, found further evidence of the scales discriminant and convergent
validity, and tested the scales ability to predict previous contact with gender non-conformists.
Taken as a whole, the results of these studies demonstrate the basic psychometric properties of a new and useful scale to measure antipathy toward people who cross genders and
sexes.KEY WORDS: genderism; transphobia; hate; transsexual; prejudice; transgender.Discrimination and prejudical attitudes are
common topics in gender research. Although sexism
has received considerable attention, few professionals have investigated the prejudice and violence
experienced by individuals who cross or change
genders. There is very little systematic research on
discrimination against transsexuals (those who use
or want to use hormones and/or surgery to change
their gender and live full-time in their adopted
gender), transgenderists (those who change gender
often with minimal medical intervention, sometimes
moving back and forth between genders), and crossdressers (those who change gender temporarily
using mostly outward symbols of gender like clothing) referred to collectively here as trans persons.
Can anti-trans sentiments be measured reliably1College of Staten Island, City University of New York, New
York.2University of Miami.3To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department
of Psychology, College of Staten Island, 2800 Victory Blvd.,
Staten Island, New York 10314; e-mail: darrylhill@verizon.
net.with a questionnaire? Are hateful attitudes toward
gender non-conformists conceptually related to
other constructs like heterosexism and beliefs about
gender? To answer these questions, the following
three studies report on efforts to operationalize
and conceptualize anti-trans attitudes, feelings, and
behaviors.Evidence of Anti-Trans ActionsThere is anecdotal evidence to suggest that antitrans sentiments are pervasive in Western culture.
Those in contact with the...