Trans broken arm syndrome: A mixed-methods exploration of gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning

Rationale: Gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning (GRMMIQ), colloquially known as "trans broken arm syndrome," is a form of medical discrimination faced by transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients wherein a provider incorrectly assumes that a medical condition results from a patient's gender identity or medical transition. This phenomenon may take one of two forms: (1) the incorrect and explicit misattribution of gender identity or medical transition as being the cause of an acute complaint, or (2) invasive and unnecessary questions regarding a patient's gender identity or gender transition status. Objective: Using mixed-methods procedures, this study aims to explore the incidence, some common correlates, and manifestations of GRMMIQ.Methods: American TGD participants (N = 147), recruited through an online recruitment platform, completed questions assessing their experiences in the healthcare system including lifetime incidence of GRMMIQ, outness to healthcare providers, and additional experiences of gender-related discrimination in a medical setting. Par-ticipants who indicated experiences of GRMMIQ were asked open-ended questions about one such experience.Results: Nearly one-third of participants reported experiencing GRMMIQ. Experiences were associated with outness to acute care providers and other types of gender-related discrimination in healthcare settings. Analysis of qualitative data revealed four primary themes: (1) assumptions of disordered thinking and being, (2) hyperfocus on aspects of medical transition, (3) cultural ignorance and incompetence, and (4) dismissiveness of the patient.Conclusion: Together, these results enhance the understanding of an underexplored aspect of medical discrimi-nation faced by TGD individuals while highlighting commonalities across different experiences.