The Transgender Project
Mission of The Transgender Project
Over the years, psychologists and medical professionals have conducted numerous small-scale and highly focused studies of various segments of the Transgender Community, yet precious little is known about how we actually live our lives; who we are; what we do and why; where we come from; and where we are headed.
The Transgender Project is designed to describe the economic, social and personal, family and workplace experiences of male to female trans-persons, how these experiences change over the course of our lives, and the impact of these experiences on our mental and physical health.
Eligibility, Recruitment and YOU
The Transgender community, like any group, is made up of people with a vast array of backgrounds, ideas, political and theological ideologies, ethnicities, and sexual and gender identities. As most of you who are reading this already know, we are an extremely diverse group!
As much as we’d like to have everyone from the Trans-community participate, there are some qualifiers:
- You must have been medically assigned as a ‘male’ at birth (that is to say, the doctors put ‘male’ on your birth certificate) but you now see yourself more female than male, or completely female.
- You must be between the ages of 19 and 59.
- You must reside, or participate in TG activities on a regular basis, in the greater New York Metropolitan area.
- Using some commonly known terms, you should identify as a Pre or Post- operative Transsexual (TS), a Crossdresser (CD), or Transvestite (TV) of ANY sexual orientation or preference or gender identity preference.
- Full time (24/7), part time, occasional, closeted, or if you have transitioned to completion.
The Transgender Project is seeking 550 Transgender individuals, as described above, to participate in a one-time baseline interview and testing. From this group, 275 will be randomly selected to continue participation in a three-year longitudinal study.
Procedure-How it Works
For the one-time survey, face-to-face interviews will be conducted inquiring about your experiences at school, at work, and in relationships with your family and friends, and your sexual activities and practices since the age of 10.
For the longitudinal study, face-to-face interviews will be conducted every six months for three years to examine changes in these experiences over time, and the impact of these changing experiences on your mental and physical health. Morale will be measured with established psychological scales. Health functioning (including HIV and other STDs) will be measured with biological tests.
Confidentiality
All information collected as part of this study is completely confidential. All provided information will be kept secure in locked files. Computer files will be pass protected. Code numbers will be used to protect your identity within the research project. All staff have been thoroughly trained in these procedures. When we write about the study, we will not use your name on anything that could be used to identity you. Names will only appear on the Consent, which will be kept separate from the interview. We also have a Federal Certificate of Confidentiality that ensures that we cannot be compelled to reveal, by subpoena or any other means, that you have participated in this project, or to disclose any of the information that you have provided.
Benefits to You
Selected participants will be paid $40 for completing the one-time baseline survey and testing, and $230 for completing the three-year study. The health testing is free. If needed, free health services may be provided through the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. As a participant, you will receive copies of papers published about The Transgender Project and it’s findings. And of course, you’ll be a very big part of this study---we can’t do this without you!
Staff Members
The members of the staff are working together as a team to conduct this project in a professional and trans-friendly manner. They are:
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Larry Nuttbrock (Principal Investigator) is a nationally-known research scientist with numerous publications in the fields of social psychology, epidemiology, and medicine. A publication which exemplifies the theory used in this project recently appeared in the International Journal of Transgenderism. |
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Mona Rae Mason (Field Coordinator) has been out and active in the TG community in NYC and Northeastern PA. for several years. She is the past publisher of an Internet Transgender newsletter sent to approximately 55,000 addresses. As a former barmaid in mid-town Manhattan cocktail lounge, she promoted and hosted several successful ‘trans’ fund raisers-one for The NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, another for City Meals on Wheels. She has also appeared in a television pilot. She has been active in arranging, promoting and hosting transgender specific parties and events. Ms. Mason also speaks at various Transgender support groups and organizations. |
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Herminio Martinez (Research Associate) has more than 10 years of experience as a health educator and researcher. He previously worked as a coordinator of an HIV testing and counseling program, and has directed services for LGBT youth at risk. Herminio has worked extensively with the NY state prison systems as a transitional planner providing HIV testing services, reintegration counseling and job placement. Herminio has more than 10 years of experience as an HIV counselor, phlebotomist and support group facilitator. |
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Monica Macri (Research Associate) has more than 5 years of combined experience as a health educator and researcher in the field of HIV and drug use. She has also worked for syringe exchange programs in Honolulu, Hawaii and Providence, Rhode Island. Monica is currently working on a Masters Degree in Public Health at Hunter College. |
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Sel J. Hwahng (formerly Wahng and Whang), Ph.D., is a Research Investigator with the Transgender Project, and a recipient of an Independent Research Investigator Development Award, National Institute on Drug Abuse Diversity Supplement. Sel is also a Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Professor at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University. Sel is the recent recipient of several awards including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research, an International Scholarship from the International AIDS Society, and an NIH National Service Research Award Postdoctoral Training Fellowship in Drug Abuse Research. Sel is currently editing a special issue on mass rape systems during armed conflict entitled "The Performance of Mass Rape: War, Trauma, and Limit Phenomena" for the journal Women and Performance and is also a Consultant for the South Korean NGO The Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan and the War and Women's Human Rights Museum, slated to open in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Sel is also on the Board of Directors for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). |
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Bali White (Research Associate), long interested in health factors impacting global transgendered communities, is currently graduating from Columbia University and will attend graduate school to continue her research interests. Bali has extensive experience in the public health sector, most recently as Assistant Project Director on HBS, an ethnographic study of the House/Ball community, a NYC queer of color social network. Other organizations she’s worked with include the NYC Dept of Health and Housing Works. Bali is also a community organizer and advocate addressing transgender identity, legal, health care and social concerns at the national, state and local levels; she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sylvia Rivera Law project, which provides free legal services for trans people of color and low income trans people. |
Funding
The project has been funded by a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded to the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) in New York City (Principal Investigator: Larry Nuttbrock, Ph.D.).
Office
Our field office and interview location for The Transgender Project
is
216 Avenue A (between 13th and 14th Sts.) in the East Village of
Lower Manhattan.
Collaborations
The project is being conducted in collaboration with trans-friendly organizations and facilities in New York City. These include the LGBT Community Center and the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in Lower Manhattan.
Contact Us
To learn more about this project, or to arrange your appointment
Local
212.845.4617
Toll Free
866.232.6389