How to Talk to a Seahorse: Communication in Transmasculine Gestational Experiences as Told Through Narrative

Transmasculine experiences before, during, and after pregnancy were evaluated using focus groups and autoethnographic research. As transgender people are more likely to experience inequality in healthcare encounters, this project aims to shed light on, and counter sensationalized accounts of male pregnancy, as transmasculine gestational individuals sought normalization in their experiences of pregnancy. Seven focus groups consisted of 90 minute sessions, with a total of 15 participants. Transcripts were analyzed using a trans narrative approach to find a greater understanding about identity construction, challenges, and changes around trans pregnancy. Asking about communities and healthcare experiences worked to create a complete picture surrounding the narrative of transmasculine pregnancy. My own transmasculine gestational identity supplementally organized the narrative of this research. Overall, the supportive community was not always queer or trans, and the identities of trans gestational individuals was always changing, with negotiations based on situational contexts in which individuals found themselves.