Abstract

Individuals who identify as transgender (T) and/or gender nonbinary (NB) face various struggles, such as stigma and discrimination, and have a higher risk for mental health, physical health, and economic challenges as compared with those who identify within the binary of male/female and are cisgender. Getting older has its own challenges including health concerns. Yet, research is limited about the lived experiences of aging for trans men, trans women, trans NB, and NB (not trans) in the US. This descriptive phenomenological study explored the experiences of twenty individuals aged 50 and older who identified as T/NB and advances our understanding of older T/NB adults. Participants’ gender identities and understanding of those identities (e.g., binary/NB) varied. Although aware of gender from an early age, participants had few role models, limited information, and a lack of applicable language and community. Navigating healthcare services as T/NB older adults, fear of treatment they would receive if in long-term care facilities and fear of not understanding their gender identities if they had dementia were concerns. Implications for practice include the need for healthcare and mental health care practitioners to have awareness of the diversity within this community and be trained to provide culturally sensitive services with a nuanced understanding of gender identities.