Ongoing Research Projects

#1 Physical Affirmation – the Role of Expectations

Gender Affirmation: Expectations and Satisfaction
Physical affirmation procedures facilitate the embodiment of one’s ‘self’, one’s identity. To what degree does successful gender affirmation require more than a medically successful intervention? As the number of individuals identifying as transgender has increased so too has individuals’ ability to access procedures to physically affirm their gender, with more and different types of venues participating. It is unclear whether, under these conditions, individuals’ post-procedure expectations are being met and if not, what consequences this might have.

This project has two parts. The first explores trans feminine adults’ experience physically affirming their gender, to ascertain how expectations about procedures are established and the relationship between fulfillment of expectations and individuals’ post-procedure satisfaction. We are inviting trans feminine adults who had had one or more affirmation procedures over the past five years to participate in this study.

Part two looks more broadly at the relationship between individuals’ history of physical affirmation and their quality of life. We would appreciate hearing from everyone who has physically modified their body to align with their gender as we explore the connection between physical affirmation and a sense of well-being.

#2 The Experience of Asexuality

Its complicated
The number of individuals identifying as asexual has risen significantly in recent years, especially among young women. We don’t know whether this represents a shift in reporting or an increase in individuals not feeling sexual attraction. Nor is it clear to what extent asexuality is best understood as a neutral state (i.e., a pattern of attraction) and how to identify individuals for whom it may reflect a level of distress. Our preliminary data suggest that there are a range of experiences among those under the asexual umbrella. Using an anonymous online survey, the goal of our research is to learn more about the self-reported experience of individuals who “do-not-feel-sexual-attraction”. In particular, we want to gain a better understanding of the ‘quality of life’ anchors for life with little or no sexual behavior and less engagement in sexual or romantic relationships. In particular, we want to gain a better understanding of the ‘quality of life’ anchors for life with little or no sexual behavior and less engagement in sexual or romantic relationships.

#3 Quality of Life Study

What lets us know if we are doing ok, especially when things are intense or unpredictable?
Our sense of well-being, or quality of life (QoL), is an important component of our experience. Because QoL is highly subjective, individuals may vary in the markers they use to anchor their sense of well-being. In the current study, we are exploring whether individuals’ identity and life experience influence the QoL markers that they use. These data will help us to better understand the relationship between what we experience and how it feels to us. It will also help in the development of more accurate QoL assessment methods.
We welcome all individuals over the age of 18 to participate in the anonymous online survey.

#4 Sexuality Study

Embodying our Sex/Gender
To social scientists, gender is connected to an individual’s sex mostly through socially constructed links. To natural scientists, it is partially that and partially a flexible behavioral trait that evolved because it facilitated obtaining high quality mates and maximizing one’s reproductive success as either an egg or sperm donor. How do we use what we know from both of these fields to better understand and support the complex experience of sex/gender? For this study we are exploring the relationships among sex, sexuality, and body to better understand why and how individuals desire to modify their bodies to align with their self.