Interpersonal Communication Between Transgender and Cisgender People: A Polish-Canadian Comparison

Abstract

Interpersonal communication between transgender/gender-diverse and cisgender people is an understudied area within the fields of communication studies and gender studies; studies on Canadian and Polish interpersonal communication dynamics involving these demographic groups are even rarer. The purpose of this research project therefore was two-fold. On an applied level, this study sought to document and analyze interpersonal communication dynamics between transgender/gender-diverse and cisgender people in Poland and Canada, respectively. On a theoretical level, this study sought to extend interpersonal transgender communication theory. Based on in-depth interviews conducted with 44 participants in Canada and Poland, the authors identified common positive and negative interpersonal communication experiences between transgender/gender-diverse and cisgender people within each nation. The thematic analysis uncovered similarities and differences; quotations from the interviews allowed for identification of concrete moments in interpersonal communication encounters. Findings were analyzed from the perspective of recent articulations of communication accommodation theory (CAT) with particular emphasis on the role of accommodation and nonaccommodation, affective motives, and skills training. The relevance of accommodative communication behavior and the significance of perceived communicative intent emerged as key findings.