The right to exist: a transmasculine perspective from a university student in the Ibiapaba mountains

Abstract

This article presents autoethnographic contributions through a brief account of the journey as a transgender university student in a Psychology program, living and studying in the Serra da Ibiapaba region, in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The text narrates the challenges faced during the process of social gender transition while still undergoing academic training, highlighting the importance of accessing knowledge that strengthened the understanding of the right to exist and to occupy social spaces legitimately. This qualitative research adopts autoethnography as a methodology, connecting lived experience with theoretical foundations from Social and Community Psychology. Along this path, I seek to share the steps taken to achieve quality mental health, emphasizing the value of community support networks and their positive impact on care and subjective construction. The theoretical framework addresses the concepts of gender identity, transgender experiences, mental health, and psychosocial practices committed to human rights. This work invites the reader to reflect on the power of autoethnographic narratives as a legitimate form of knowledge production and resistance to cisnormativity. By intertwining personal experience with scientific production, this study reaffirms the importance of recognizing trans people as protagonists of their own stories and active subjects in the construction of a more ethical, plural, and inclusive Psychology.