Theorizing transgender diversity: towards a social model of health

Participative research was conducted with a range of transsexual and transgender individuals. Findings outline recent developments among the transsexual and transgender communities, which challenge traditional medical models of transsexuality and transgender. Postmodernism provides a useful base for theorizing alternative models; however, postmodernism and poststructuralism are problematic in terms of their notions of identity and lack of attention to the structuring of gender at the social level. Social structure is suggested to be key in understanding transgender and transsexuality, with inequalities affecting transgender people's health and ability to participate in society as active citizens.