| Sumario: | Background: Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals experience significant health disparities, and are medically disadvantaged, experiencing various barriers to accessing and receiving healthcare. Given persistent anti-transgender stigma and discrimination, TGD individuals may use online resources and social media (e.g. Reddit), for social support, including to access information about medical transitioning. However, TGD individuals' use of Reddit for social support has not yet been explored, especially within the context of Ontario, Canada's largest province. Methods: To explore various forms of social support that TGD individuals access through social media, we webscraped and performed thematic analysis on two subreddits specific to TGD individuals residing in Ontario. Results: Our dataset included 3912 posts and 23162 comments. Users engaged in four types of social support. Appraisal support was reflected in the theme of mutual understanding through shared identity and challenges. Emotional support was exhibited through the theme of creating compassionate connections despite anonymity. Instrumental support was characterized by the theme of tangible help to alleviate stress. Informational support was the most commonly observed and included three distinct themes: seeking medical information and advice, providing support through personal experience, and sharing legislative or medical information. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that Reddit appears to be a helpful resource for navigating medical transitioning and accessing support and information that is beneficial for accessing and receiving healthcare among TGD individuals in Ontario.
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