fei75766_ch07_206-241.indd 235  02/06/20 11:52 AM
Chapter 7    Erikson: Post-Freudian Theory235
transgender? Isiteasier asanadolescent oradult to“come out”andhasthischanged 
overthedecades astransgender identity hasbecome more socially discussed? These 
areprecisely thequestions addressed inastudy of571male-to-female individuals 
byNuttbrock andcolleagues (2009). Thesample ranged inagefrom 19to59at
thetimeofthestudy, sotheresearchers splitthem intotwocohorts: those 19–39 
andthose 40–59. Thedividing birth yearforthese twogroups was1970, withthe
younger group being bornin1970 orlater. Figures 7.3and7.4present theagepeople 
where when theydisclosed theiridentity toeither some orallofthepeople invarious 
social network groups, namely, parents, siblings, sexual partners, fellow students, and
coworkers. Figure 7.3shows theresults fortheyounger cohort (ages 19–39), whereas 
Figure 7.4shows theresults fortheolder cohort (ages 40–59). 
Asyoucansee,ingeneral, theresearchers found thattransgender females dis-
close theiridentity atdifferent agestodifferent groups ofpeople intheirlivesandthat
themore current generation ismore open todisclosure thantheolder generation. 
Thisistrueforboththeyounger (<age40)andolder (≥age40)cohorts. Forthe
younger cohort, evenbytheir30s,about 25%havenever revealed theirstatus tothe
parents orsiblings; fortheolder cohort, thepercent isabout 40–45% whohavenever 
/zero.tnum/two.tnum/zero.tnum/four.tnum/zero.tnum/six.tnum/zero.tnum/eight.tnum/zero.tnum/one.tnum/zero.tnum/zero.tnum/one.tnum/two.tnum/zero.tnum
Parents Siblings Sexual
partnersFellow
studentsFriends Co-workersDisclosure %
Relationship category/one.tnum/zero.tnum–/one.tnum/four.tnum
/one.tnum/five.tnum–/one.tnum/nine.tnum
/two.tnum/zero.tnum–/two.tnum/four.tnum
/two.tnum/five.tnum–/two.tnum/nine.tnum
/three.tnum/zero.tnum–/three.tnum/nine.tnumAge at disclosure
FIGURE 7.3  Younger Cohort (ages 19–39)
Source: Nuttbrock, L.A.,Bockting, W.O.,Hwahng, S.,Rosenblum, A.,Mason, M.,Macri, M.,&Becker, J.(2009). 
Gender identity affirmation among male-to-female transgender persons: Alifecourse analysis across types ofrelationships 
andcultural/lifestyle factors. Sexual & Relationship Therapy, 24(2) ,108–125. doi:10.1080/14681990902926764
/zero.tnum/one.tnum/zero.tnum/two.tnum/zero.tnum/three.tnum/zero.tnum/four.tnum/zero.tnum/five.tnum/zero.tnum/six.tnum/zero.tnum/seven.tnum/zero.tnum/eight.tnum/zero.tnum/nine.tnum/zero.tnum/one.tnum/zero.tnum/zero.tnum
Parent sSibling sS exua l
partnersFellow
studentsFriends Co-worker sDisclosure %
Relationship categor y/one.tnum/zero.tnum–/one.tnum/four.tnum
/one.tnum/five.tnum–/one.tnum/nine.tnum
/two.tnum/zero.tnum–/two.tnum/nine.tnum
/three.tnum/zero.tnum–/three.tnum/nine.tnum
/four.tnum/zero.tnum–/five.tnum/nine.tnumAge at disclosur e
FIGURE 7.4  Older Cohort (ages 40–59)
Source: Nuttbrock, L.A.,Bockting, W.O.,Hwahng, S.,Rosenblum, A.,Mason, M.,Macri, M.,&Becker, J.(2009). 
Gender identity affirmation among male-to-female transgender persons: Alifecourse analysis across types ofrelationships 
andcultural/lifestyle factors. Sexual & Relationship Therapy, 24(2) ,108–125. doi:10.1080/14681990902926764Final PDF to printer