Pop-Up Writing Opportunity (PUWO): Nonbinary Identities and Individuals in Research,
Community, and the Academy
This writing opportunity was originally published on January 24, 2019. It is now closed. Pop-Up Writing Opportunities are released three times a year. Sign up to receive timely Pop-Up Writing Opportunity announcements.
While gender diversity has existed throughout humanity, conversations around transgender topics have increased significantly over the past decade. Most recently, nonbinary identities, including those who are nonbinary or enby, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, and two-spirit (among others) have become more commonly recognized and more prevalent in discussions about trans identities. In 2015, the US Transgender Survey reported that approximately one third of the almost 28,000 participants were nonbinary. However, very little research has been conducted with this population. Of the research that exists, many quantitative studies only offer binary gender responses, or collapse nonbinary participants in with binary transgender individuals. This can make it difficult to understand the needs, challenges, and resilience experienced by this population, who often face challenges having their nonbinary identities recognized.
This series aims to elevate the scholarship and experiences of nonbinary individuals and researchers, and shine a light on this often ignored population. We hope the series will enable future collaboration on scholarship related to the topic.
Examples of some questions that might be addressed may include:
- How are nonbinary individuals similar to or different from binary trans individuals? Should nonbinary be included within trans research and conversation, or separated out as a unique group?
- What do we know about the lived experiences and needs of nonbinary populations? What can been done to best support their health, wellbeing, education, and overall success?
- What does it look like to be nonbinary in the academy? What are the challenges faced by nonbinary academics? What supports can be put into place to create more affirming and welcoming spaces for nonbinary colleagues and graduate students?
- How can research best capture the experiences of nonbinary individuals and communities? What language should be used? What methodologies? How can research about these communities include/center nonbinary collaborators in the process
Please submit your pitch by February 1. We welcome you to review our writing guidelines. For an example of our other work, check out our series on Voting and Equity.
This series will be curated by Shanna Kattari, assistant professor in the School of Social Work and Department of Women’s Studies (by courtesy) at the University of Michigan and an NCID public scholarship editor.
