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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0695-6938

Date Available

4-27-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Psychology

Faculty

Angel Armenta

Faculty

Mike Bardo

Abstract

Despite transgender Women of Color being the main victims of violent victimization and panic-narrative cases, very little research has investigated how race/ethnicity might impact perceptions of violence or the influence of panic-narratives. Thus, the current experiment (N = 1275) examined the social and legal ramifications of using panic-narratives against transgender and cisgender women of color (Black vs. Latino vs. White) in bathroom victimization contexts. The predictions were partially supported. Regardless of racial identity, the justification of transgender (versus cisgender) victimization via panic-narratives produced more anti-victim (e.g., increased victim guilty verdicts, sentencing, victim culpability, perceived deception, and threat) and prodefendant outcomes (e.g., fewer guilty verdicts, sentencing, and less defendant culpability). These results were found to be driven by increases in perceived deception and threat while controlling for political ideology and prejudice. Contrary to predictions, there was no main effect of racial identity on outcomes, and racial identity did not moderate the effect of gender identity on outcomes. Overall, the work demonstrates how panic-narratives exploit perceived deception and threat produced by gender identity expectancy violations to justify victimization and criminalization of transgender women in public bathrooms.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.125

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