Transgender men in tourism: marginalisation, constraints and inclusion opportunities

Abstract

Transgender people experience intersecting forms of social marginalisation in different spheres of their lives. Both structural and interpersonal difficulties limit transgender individuals’ opportunities for positive experiences that increase their health and well-being, such as tourism activities. The scarce research on the transgender population’s tourism experiences has not focused exclusively on transgender men’s experiences. Informed by an intersectional stigma perspective, this study sought to explore these men’s perspective on tourism in two Latin American countries. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of transgender males, which revealed that, due to structural and interpersonal constraints, these men tend to experience stigmatisation, discrimination, exclusion and heightened anxiety, fear and risk while travelling. However, tourism also provides transgender men with opportunities to construct their gender identity and perform selected aspects of their masculinity. Specific practical recommendations are offered to promote the creation of equitable, dignified tourism environments that reduce these men’s experiences of stigmatisation during leisure trips.