Researchers

Undertaking research about the lives, experiences and needs of trans people and populations can be a rewarding and exciting contribution to make. We are a heavily monitored population though, with improvements to our health and wellbeing being few and far between, so it’s important that researchers looking into this space understand what being trans-affirming means. Research has historically been done to us, rather than with us.

A quick look at the history of gender diagnosis indicates that trans people have openly participated in science for at least a century, although this has mostly been under the label of psychiatry. Since the grip of World War 11, trans people have been incorrectly positioned as disordered, broken and mentally ill, so while this research history makes sense, this page sets out recommendations for being a trans-affirming researcher, today.

Being a good ally isn’t difficult, but being a great ally can take some work, education, and work on yourself, your prejudices and existing beliefs. If you are interested in doing research with trans people, it’s a great time to examine this.

Being an ally doesn’t mean always getting it 100% right, either, but it does mean knowing when to stop and apologise, how to self-educate so mistakes are less common, and to listen and learn from those you are an ally to. Allyship isn’t just a description, it’s a doing word, and requires knowing when to take action and change.

Being an ally can’t be summed up with a list, but the below points are a great start.

Issues to consider

We could spend all day completing research surveys that are either trans or LGBTQ+ focused, or are for the general public. Many trans people really do want to be counted adequately, but it can be rare to participate in research that considers some of our unique needs, for instance research about reproductive health doesn’t tend to include men who can be pregnant or women who have sperm. Sexual health and HIV research rarely considers risk to trans men who are gay but regularly includes trans women in samples of men who have sex with men. Non-binary people are largely invisible.

It is important that research can adequately account for the diverse range of identities and experiences that make up the trans community, while still ensuring data is usable. Appropriate gender-related demographic questions are essential and recommendations are listed below.

ACON has written about this extensively here.

It’s essential that researchers consider who should be included, since the trans and gender diverse community represents a vast array of individuals and identities. Recognising that trans women are female and trans men are male can go a long way in ensuring issues don’t occur where women who are trans are incorrectly included in research about men, while men who are trans are excluded. The recognition that non-binary people exist and have valid genders is also critically important.

A participant sample that doesn’t adequately account for trans women, trans men and non-binary people (presumed either female or male), is not representative.

Co-Investigators and collaborators

In addition to being regularly researched, trans people are a deeply pathologised group, many of us hold complex trauma and have experienced substantial discrimination, stigma and violence across our lives, and particularly in healthcare settings. It is essential that researchers work closely with trans community leaders and representatives - from design to implementation, to analysis, writing and evaluation.

It is a great idea to ensure you have a number of trans people in your research steering committee and research team, and that these individuals are listed as co-investigators and research authors. Check out Colleagues for information on working well with your trans research colleagues.

Researching funding is always limited, however, paying trans researchers with increased knowledge and recognition can go a long way.

Working closely with trans people, and supporting us to help build the questions and survey instruments, ensures it is as affirming for trans participants as possible, and will also means that analysis and representation of data collected might be less likely to hold assumption and bias.

Community connection

Working with trans people also means that it is much more likely that the project will gain a large sample of trans participants. The networks and community connection that trans people can have is vast, and working with trusted community members and leaders will always increase survey responses.

It stands to reason that research participants will be much more likely to engage if they are asked questions that affirm, and consider who they are. This doesn’t just mean being able to signify in some way that you are trans, but also that questions related to topics of bodies, relationships, legal status, access to medical care, medication, socioeconomic status, mental health, experiences of discrimination and stigma etc. are inclusive of trans people, and can represent trans people accurately.

In 2021, the ABS released The Standard for Sex, Gender, Variation of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables 2020 (the Standard). The Standard standardises the collection and dissemination of data relating to sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation across Australia. This is an update from the previous 2016 Sex and Gender Standard.

Two-step approach

When collecting gender information, it’s important to ask two questions. One question captures the gender of all participants, the second question captures their classification history. These questions must always be sequential and are known as the ‘two-step approach’. Questions related to sexual identity and intersex status are also important, as relevant to the study.

Asking a research participant if they are trans is insufficient and can be harmful.

The ABS Standard is recommended for use in population research and for the purposes of assessing trends in the delivery of programs and services. The ABS Standard is not intended for use on client intake or registration forms. A good practice approach for intake and registration forms can be downloaded here.

Analysis

Using the two-step approach for collecting gender demographics allows for data from cis and trans people of all genders to be accounted for and analysed appropriately.

Analysis can include:

• Women of all gender experiences (cis and trans)

• Men of all gender experiences (cis and trans)

• All binary trans people

• All non-binary trans people

• Non-binary people presumed male at birth

• Non-binary people presumed female at birth

• All cis people

• All trans people

Research promotion

It is always a good idea to gain ethics approval from a community panel, in addition to a registered NHMRC committee. Both ACON and Thorne Harbour Health host Research Ethics Review Committees and both organisations require approval through these committees prior to promoting survey projects, making space available or releasing staff to participate.

The International Transgender Health (ITH) Forum has also developed a Transgender Research Informed Consent (TRICON) Disclosure Policy to allow trans community members to make informed decisions on participation in research studies.

They write that, “Transparency and informed, voluntary participation are especially important for trans health research because of a long history of intolerance, bias, and psycho-pathological stereotyping in this speciality. On matters of human oppression, historical context matters. Answering these questions will provide opportunity for more positive exposure to affirming, high-quality research projects, and it will provide opportunity for trans individuals to give a more informed consent to participate in them.”

These questions can be considered by all who are interested in doing research with trans people.

1. What is the specific objective of the study and its intended impact on future trans lives?

2. Who is/are the principal investigator/s?

3. What is/are the sponsoring institution/s or organization/s?

4. How are trans scholars/researchers included in this research work?

5. Who is funding the study? Describe any conflicts of interest.

6. Is there IRB/Ethics board approval? Describe ethical practices specific to trans subjects

7. What is the target study population?

8. Describe geographic scope, languages, and intersectional inclusion

9. Is there a cost or travel requirement, or is there compensation for participants?

10. Will the results of this research be published in open access journals or channels?

The Transgender Research Informed Consent (TRICON) Disclosure Policy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Supporting trans people in research

One simple thing any research ally can do is write to other researchers who aren’t collecting gender information in a way that supports trans people, and give them inclusive alternatives. The recommendations above reflect good practice in Australia.

ACON’s recommendations for appropriately collecting demographic information on surveys and forms is based on the above recommendations and can be found here.

In addition to the two-step approach outlined above, research of trans populations may benefit from additional gender variables, such as genderqueer, trans man, trans woman, genderfluid, Brotherboy, Sistergirl, trans masculine and trans feminine, and allowing people to select multiple identities. It is also useful to ask people to identify which category they would prefer to be aggregated into for analysis purposes, rather than making that decision for them.

The below indicators must be on the same survey page.

There are many ways to be a great ally, and some things to try and avoid when affirming the trans people in your life.

Making assumptions

Even if you know some trans people already, or know of them from media or pop culture, it’s important to keep in mind that every person’s gender and identity are different, and this applies to trans people too. Lots of trans people might affirm their gender in a particular way, but that doesn’t mean everyone will take this same path as others, eg. A trans woman may dress in a way that isn’t considered feminine, or a trans man may not want any gender affirming surgery.

The best way to not make assumptions is to ask, and to listen to the answers.

Asking invasive questions

It’s natural to be curious about people making changes in their lives, but consider if these questions are contributing to the literature.

Trans people often feel like we are the sole source of information for those around us, so finding out what you can, can be really helpful. TransHub is a great start, and there’s a whole lot of information you can read here on TransHub to learn more about trans people.

A great way to support the trans people in your life is to learn more about trans people in general, including the different ways that gender affirmation can look. We recommend starting with our 101 section, which provides an overview of who trans people are, what gender affirmation consists of, and answers some of the big questions we’re asked. 

Also, while the gender affirmation sections of TransHub are written for trans and gender diverse people, anyone can read them and learn more about us. Find out more at the Social, Medical, and Legal sections.