Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorBoonzaier, Floretta
dc.contributor.authorDaya, Jude Anjuli
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-17T09:36:47Z
dc.date.available2026-06-17T09:36:47Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-06-17T09:33:48Z
dc.description.abstractThe mental healthcare needs of transgender men in South Africa are not being met. Transgender people face disproportionately high rates of mental illness, yet struggle to find mental healthcare that is sensitive to their needs. Transgender men remain an unseen, underserved subset of this already marginalised group. This research aimed to provide a platform for trans men to share their narratives about accessing mental healthcare. The researcher, a trans man, brings an insider perspective to trans mental health. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 adult transgender men and transmasculine individuals who had used mental healthcare services in South Africa. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic narrative analysis, informed by queer theory and gender minority stress theory. Participants described ongoing challenges, which included everyday and medical discrimination, feelings of invisibility, imposed expectations of transness and masculinity, and the distress of gender dysphoria. This study highlights the significant maltreatment and transphobia that trans men experience from most mental healthcare services. Participant narratives indicate that most healthcare providers were misinformed about transness and treated patients as educators. This research provides insights into the challenges trans men navigate with mental healthcare, and offers recommendations for appropriate, sensitive care for this population.
dc.identifier.apacitationDaya, J. A. (2026). <i>Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDaya, Jude Anjuli. <i>"Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDaya, J.A. 2026. Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Daya, Jude Anjuli AB - The mental healthcare needs of transgender men in South Africa are not being met. Transgender people face disproportionately high rates of mental illness, yet struggle to find mental healthcare that is sensitive to their needs. Transgender men remain an unseen, underserved subset of this already marginalised group. This research aimed to provide a platform for trans men to share their narratives about accessing mental healthcare. The researcher, a trans man, brings an insider perspective to trans mental health. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 adult transgender men and transmasculine individuals who had used mental healthcare services in South Africa. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic narrative analysis, informed by queer theory and gender minority stress theory. Participants described ongoing challenges, which included everyday and medical discrimination, feelings of invisibility, imposed expectations of transness and masculinity, and the distress of gender dysphoria. This study highlights the significant maltreatment and transphobia that trans men experience from most mental healthcare services. Participant narratives indicate that most healthcare providers were misinformed about transness and treated patients as educators. This research provides insights into the challenges trans men navigate with mental healthcare, and offers recommendations for appropriate, sensitive care for this population. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - psychology LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa TI - Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDaya JA. Transgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43325en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectpsychology
dc.titleTransgender men and mental healthcare services in South Africa
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMA
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