The Emotional Universe of Nonbinary Parents: A Hermeneutic Study

Abstract

Introduction: Nonbinary individuals who do not identify as exclusively male or female often face unique emotional challenges due to societal cisheteronormativity and limited recognition of their identities. While existing research has primarily focused on anxiety, depression, and pathways to parenthood among nonbinary people, little attention has been paid to their comprehensive emotional experiences as parents. This study aims to explore the emotional universe of two nonbinary parents from Spain and the United States. Design: Hermeneutic study. Materials and Methods: We implemented purposive sampling, conducted semi-structured virtual interviews, and followed Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation for data analysis. We used the Universe of Emotions affective taxonomy as a starting category in this analysis. Our sample consisted of a 32-year-old white Spanish nurse (she/they/them), assigned female at birth and parent of two one-year-old toddlers, and a 34-year-old white North American physiotherapist (he/they/them) assigned female at birth and parent of a ten-year-old child. Results: Through its four themes (A story of misunderstanding: “What are you, a combat helicopter?”; Clearly, you don’t fit, so…; But (a new) family is there; No monster here: I’m, at the core, a human being), this study reveals the complex emotional journey experienced by two nonbinary parents. Conclusions: Central to this journey are three key emotions: strangeness, belonging, and acceptance. The participants describe an initial stage marked by body and social dysphoria, confusion, and rejection, followed by a transformative process in which parenthood becomes a catalyst for emotional and identity integration. This transition—from alienation to connection—reflects a broader movement from dehumanization to humanization, where the experience of parenting fosters emotional resilience, social recognition, and a renewed sense of self. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: Analyzing their emotions (both negative and positive ones), we obtained robust insights into these parents’ personal and social contexts. Therefore, we can facilitate understanding of the emotional complexity of nonbinary parents by the trans and cisgender communities. Through this understanding, nurses and the organizations they work for can improve their competence in their holistic care. Acceptance from nonbinary parents’ social contexts, of which nursing is a part, is a critical factor in their health and emotional wellbeing.