Gender Affirmation Project
The Trans-ilience Research Lab is proud to partner with Allen Neighborhood Center and the MSU Triangle Bar Association to present the Gender Affirmation Project, a program that provides financial and practical assistance to transgender and nonbinary folks in Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties seeking to update their legal name and/or gender marker.
Past Research Studies
We've had a variety of research studies in our lab. Here are the projects that we've completed in terms of ongoing data collection and most research publications. Some projects we may still be working on publishing from. To read more about the papers we've written based on our research, you can also check out our Publications page.
Trans Health Study
This study entailed two sections: a unique daily diary study of stress, mental health, and sexual risk behaviors; a one-time survey about stress, mental health, and coping.
Researchers: Jae A. Puckett, Ph.D., and a former community board in Chicago
Overall Aims: The primary aims of this study were to evaluate daily stressors that transgender people experience and their association with mental health, substance use, and HIV risk behaviors. This study also evaluated the mechanisms or processes that explain these associations, such as internalized stigma.
What's included in this study? This study entailed 2 options: 1) a study in which participants responded to daily surveys about their experience for 8 weeks (56 days) and 2) a one-time survey for people who did not qualify for the first option. Each of these options measured unique minority stressors that transgender people experience, mental health, coping, and resilience. The daily study also assessed substance use and sexual risk behaviors.
What's the current status of this study? The study is complete and we are finishing up a few remaining publications from this study.
What are the findings from this study?
A few key findings so far:
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We've documented barriers that trans people experience in obtaining gender affirming healthcare.
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A recent publication also provides suggestions for improving healthcare for trans folks.
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We have a few papers in the works about the unique forms of daily stressors that participants wrote about. This includes:
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A paper on the effects of the 2016 election.
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Details on daily stressors trans people experience.
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A paper on types of ruminative experiences participants reported.
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This paper discusses suggestions from participants about how to ask about gender in research studies.
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These papers discuss: social support and resilience in relation to mental health; coping with discrimination.
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We also explored variations across generational cohorts in terms of reaching certain milestones in their gender identity development. You can check out the publication here, as well as this news story covering the findings.
Funders: This project was funded by National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health
Predictors of Prejudice Against Transgender People
A study on what factors predict prejudice towards transgender and gender diverse people.
Researchers: This study was led by Dr. Jae Puckett and Cylie Hanson, a former undergraduate student who was completing her honors thesis. Dr. Zachary DuBois also collaborated with us on this study.
Overall Aims: The primary aims of this study were to examine predictors of negative attitudes towards transgender individuals.
What's included in this study? This was a brief online survey for cisgender people. We asked questions about attitudes towards transgender people, personal contact with transgender people, education about issues that impact transgender communities, and other individual experiences that may shape attitudes or levels of bias in general, such as proneness to aggression and critical consciousness. We also examined the ways in which cisgender people make meaning of gender experiences to understand how they draw boundaries around gender groups via having them define what it meant to be a man or a woman and what traits they associate with masculinity, femininity, and androgyny.
What's the current status of this study? The study is complete and we have published the main findings.
What are the findings from this study?
Analysis of Public Testimony Data Regarding Access to Public Restrooms
Using public testimony data from Texas, we explored what types of arguments are presented in hearings related to transgender and gender diverse people's access to public restrooms.
Researchers: This study was led by Dr. Jae Puckett and Aren Kurth, a former undergraduate student who was completing her honors thesis.
Overall Aims: The primary aims of this study were to analyze public testimony hearings to better understand the types of arguments presented in such legislative hearings.
What's included in this study? We located publicly available testimony hearings from Texas and transcribed these hearings. We analyzed this qualitative data to better understand the types of arguments presented.
What's the current status of this study? The study is complete and we have published the main findings.
What are the findings from this study?
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Our findings from this study have been published here.