Are perceptions of transgender individuals affected by mental illness stigma? A moderated mediation analysis of anti-transgender prejudice in hiring recommendations

Transgender individuals are stigmatized as mentally ill and are subjected to widespread prejudice. The current study sought to examine anti-transgender prejudice within the context of workplace hiring recommendations. Participants (N = 111) were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 4 hypothetical job interview vignettes that varied the description of the applicant as either cisgender or transgender, and also whether their presented sex was male or female. Participants reported the applicant's perceived mental health status and their willingness to hire the applicant. A moderated-mediation analysis indicated that the applicant's gender identity influenced hiring decisions indirectly through participants' perceptions of the applicant's mental health and that mental health perceptions robustly explained the recommendation deficits for female-to-male transmen, but less strongly for male-to-female transwomen applicants. These findings suggest that there are additional factors contributing to the recommendation deficits for male-to-female transwomen applicants. The theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.