You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below: 

Date: July 29, 2024

Time: 10 AM (PT)

Defence mode: Remote

Virtual Attendance: Zoom

LINK TO JOIN: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences.

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: ensure you are on time. 

Thesis entitled: “LOOK, HERE I AM, I DO EXIST.” PARENTING EXPERIENCES OF TRANS PEOPLE IN THE 21ST CENTURY IN LATIN AMERICA. CASE STUDY THROUGH THE BIOGRAPHICAL APPROACH

Abstract: In Latin America, a CisHeteroNormative family structure has been solidified, marginalizing LGBTIQA people from marital and parental roles. Despite enduring social and legal risks, trans people assert and practice parenthood even in adverse conditions. This research, proposed as a case study, aimed to enhance the understanding of trans people parenting experiences from a feminist post/decolonial perspective, theories of subalternity, and intersectionality, aiming to answer the main question: What are the parenting experiences of trans people in Latin America considering the challenges they encounter, the resources at their disposal, and the strategies of agency and resistance they employ? Intersectional Looms and biographical interviews were conducted with nine trans parents who have lived exercising parenting in Latin America for at least a year, four Mexican (44.4%), three Chilean (33.3%), one Venezuelan (11.1%), and one Guatemalan (11.1%). Four identified as trans feminine (44.4%), and five as trans masculine (55.6%). Their ages ranged from 35 to 69 years old, with a mean age of 49.22 (SD 11.75). They had been parenting for between one and 43 years, with a mean of 16.56 years (SD 12.60). After transitioning, the interviewed TP had been parenting for between 1 and 16 years (mean 7.33, SD 4.69). The number of children varied between one and three, with a mean of two (SD 0.67). The ways in which they accessed parenthood were through a previous heterosexual relationship (6 participants, 66.67%) and through intrafamilial adoption (3 participants, 33.33%). Regarding the obstacles and challenges that trans people face when parenting, it was found that there are 1. Socio-structural conditions, 2. State-institutional conditions, and 3. Microsocial environment conditions that negatively affect their parenting experiences. From these conditions, they develop a series of personal concerns, and concerns regarding transgender parenting. Within the conditions that positively influence the exercise of parenting, or resources, three main categories were identified: 1. Social conditions, 2. Legal protection, and 3. Personal conditions. Regarding the strategies of protection, agency, and resistance that transgender parents develop, two main categories were identified: 1. Coping mechanisms at a personal level, and 2. Coping mechanisms at a relational level. It is essential to progress towards the establishment of legal frameworks acknowledging the existence of diverse families and affording them the protection and equality before the law that we all seek and deserve.

Examining Committee: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences.

Chair: Dr. Loraine Lavallee, The University of Northern British Columbia 

Supervisor: Dr. Theresa Healy, The University of Northern British Columbia 

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Holler, The University of Northern British Columbia 

Committee Member: Dr. John Sherry, University of Northern British Columbia 

External Examiner: Dr. Antonia Dangaltcheva, Private Practice