Let's Talk Gender: Ten Things Transgender and Nonbinary Youth Want All Researchers to Know

Abstract

Youth view gender as a spectrum of experiences, not the cis-binary framework of girls/women versus boys/men. However, research has historically focused on cisgender people, without considering the rich experiences of transgender and non-binary people. Method. To address gaps in the inclusion of transgender and gender non-binary youth in research, a group of transgender and non-binary youth came together through a research-based youth engagement initiative to discuss what they wanted researchers to know about gender. Results. Youth propose ten guidelines and principles that they ask researchers to acknowledge, respect, and apply. These guidelines and principles focus on acknowledging and accepting diverse experiences situated on a gender spectrum, committing to learning more about gender, incorporating gender appropriately in their research initiatives, and engaging with transgender and non-binary youth in the research they conduct. Funders, research ethics boards, and publishers are also responsible for attending to gender. Conclusions. Researchers are called on to consider these guidelines and principles and to engage in dialogue around them in order to better capture the experiences of transgender and non-binary youth in the new evidence base as it emerges.