Transgender people, gender identity and gender stereotypes

Abstract

Issues of gender identity development in transgender people and social factors role are considered; gender identity model in cross-gender perspective is discussed. Some findings of the Transgender Research Project in Ukraine are presented. The findings suggest that 'search for identity' in transgender personality faces negative reaction of social surrounding due to experimenting with gender affiliation. As a result, many transgenders have to live a double life; and for those who want to live in chosen gender there is just only one way out - surgical correction which is complicated by a number of bureaucratic and legal obstacles.