Reaction: Tribune calls on academia to support trans researchers

A group of trans scientists and family members of trans people have called on their peers to help build a trans-inclusive academic world and rigorous research on sex and gender issues. In an article published in the journal Cell, the authors describe their experience in academia and propose actions that individuals and institutions can take to support trans scientists, such as creating gender-neutral spaces, collecting environmental data, or obtaining information on trans academic outcomes.   

14/03/2024 - 16:00 CET
 
Expert reactions

Noelia Fernández-Rouco - trans academia EN

Noelia Fernández-Rouco

Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Cantabria

Science Media Centre Spain

The work presented here clearly exposes not only some of the implications and difficulties and oppressions experienced in different spheres of life by those who challenge gender norms, but also the need to approach this reality from an intersectional perspective, looking at other social categories that help to understand the workings of social oppression and the different outcomes and processes in life trajectories. This work is also of significant value in that it is produced by people who challenge the normative gender system. One of the key issues here is the enforced silence, the relegation of these people to the margins, disempowering their voice. In this sense, this work is a loudspeaker for science professionals who, in addition, use their voice as people who challenge the system. 

This work touches on results that previous studies have found in relation to these social and cultural oppressions and how they hinder issues related to personal and social needs, such as relationships of different kinds, access to and experience of education and work, treatment and health situation, etc. These are issues that highlight the difficulties in being able to exercise citizenship status (Fernández-Rouco et al., 2020). 

This forces those who challenge the sex-gender system to seek alternative ways of addressing their needs, such as seeking peer support in order to address the system's obstacles. 

The actions that this work sets out would undoubtedly contribute to respect for citizenship. They seem commonplace in that they speak of respect, mainstreaming and visibility, but they are common findings in the work that explores this reality. 

Finally, this work adds a necessary glossary that allows for a simple understanding of some of the concepts necessary in dealing with sex, gender and identity. This can make it a brief and clarifying guide for those accessing the material. 

The author has declared they have no conflicts of interest
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Rigorous science demands support of transgender scientists
  • Opinion
  • Comment
  • Editorial
  • Non-peer-reviewed
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Cell
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Aghi et al.

Study types:
  • Opinion
  • Comment
  • Editorial
  • Non-peer-reviewed
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