Thirteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Transgender and gender nonbinary (TGNB) persons have gender identities, expressions, and/or behaviors not traditionally associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. In the U.S., evidence continues to show wide disparities in the social determinants of health and emotional health outcomes compared with cisgender (non-transgender) populations. Studies have found a higher prevalence of emotional health issues such as anxiety, depression, suicidality, and substance use among TGNB persons compared to their cisgender counterparts. These disparities are thought to be due to, at least in part, structural stigma in the form of discriminatory laws and policies. In 2021, 31 states in the U.S. proposed laws to ban transgender athletes from participating in sports. The purpose of this study is to examine the emotional health impacts of these laws as well as explore the multiple pathways through which these proposed sports bans influence health. This will be a cross-sectional survey of transgender people from across the U.S. Data will be analyzed using a moderated mediation analysis. This research is necessary to understand more deeply the pathways through which structural stigma impacts the emotional health and well-being of TGNB people and to educate stakeholders, policymakers, and communities about the impact of structural stigma created through law and policy on the health of TGNB people.