Exploring the Lived Experiences of High School Transgender Students in a Campus Setting
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study explored the lived experiences of transgender students in selected public junior and senior high schools in Bacoor City, Cavite. Guided by Symbolic Interactionism and Queer Theory, it examined identity development and expression, school environments, institutional barriers, discrimination, coping, support, and meaning-making. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological design employed Grata’s three-stage analytical progression of thematic isolation and narrative construction, intuitive clustering and pattern recognition, and generation of eidetic insights. Six purposively selected students participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews, supported by document analysis for contextualization. The analysis generated four clusters and eight themes. Participants described diverse identity pathways, context-dependent expression, supportive peer relationships, and continuing constraints involving restrooms, uniforms, grooming rules, and gender-based practices. Discrimination varied across accounts, while coping included self-acceptance, academic focus, selective expression, and advocacy. Peer support was the most consistent source of acceptance; family and teacher support varied. The findings indicate that interpersonal acceptance can coexist with restrictive institutional arrangements. The study developed a proposed action plan addressing structural reform, capacity building and social support, and student empowerment and adaptive capacity. Inclusive secondary education requires coordinated attention to daily interactions, school policies, support relationships, and student voice.
Author: Wilyn Monton
Institution: University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7223182784