Transvox - Trans Plus Research Conference - News..!

[00:00:08] Hi and welcome back to Transvox and in front of me I have a different guest and actually in these troubled times where life can seem a bit, it's really lovely to talk about some good news, something interesting, something different, something about getting behind the trans community and really making some difference.

[00:00:27] So I'm talking today to Abbie, or Abigail Pox, I think I'm allowed to call her Abbie, from Beyond Reflections which is a transgender charity based on the south coast of England. So first of all, hi Abbie, how are you? Oh, I'm good, thank you very much Gillian. What have you come to talk to us about this time?

[00:00:47] Today we're talking about the Trans Plus Research Conference that Beyond Reflections are going to be hosting on the 15th of May at Bournemouth University and the very exciting news that it's now going to be free to attend. So it was paid for before, now it's been reduced?

[00:01:07] Yes, yeah, so we were selling tickets before for a price but now we have received a very kind donation from the facial team which is a specialist, facial feminisation specialist who have kindly sponsored us to allow us to make it free. So there should be limited costs for us and no costs for anybody else. Brilliant. And so what was the motivation for the conference in the first place? Where did this idea come from?

[00:01:34] It comes from, Beyond Reflections have been involved in research projects before. The most prominent one recently has been the Trans Aware Cancer Care Project that I know other people have been here talking about in previous episodes. But we've been involved in a few other bits as well and I think we've got a real drive to increase how much research that we're involved in the coming years.

[00:02:00] Because it's a really important way for us to also address kind of health inequalities, improving trans lives, raising awareness, all of that kind of stuff that we're really passionate about. We really work through that education of research pathway rather than advocacy. So research is a really important part of that. But it's interesting though because actually there's a lot of research and almost the community, but being quite small, is almost over-researched.

[00:02:28] And I often think I saw something coming in to us recently saying we're doing this piece of research on whatever it was. And I'm thinking I'm sure those questions have been asked before somewhere else and trans people have been asked those questions a number of times. So is the idea to share data as well as projects? What's the thought? Yeah, absolutely. And I completely agree. I get a lot of requests in our inbox from very well-meaning PhD and master's students who want to ask all these questions.

[00:02:56] But it is a lot of research seems to be that first phase of finding out what's wrong and then not a lot taking it further. And I do wonder if that's because there's not a lot of access to that data of what's wrong that people have already done. So people don't think it's out there. So, yeah, so it's really important to help enable the sharing of that data.

[00:03:22] And something that we want to do off the back of the conference and going forward is to try and set up a trans research hub. It may have a different name than a hub, but we're calling it the hub for now. That will allow researchers, obviously outside of the conference setting, to connect with each other, work with each other, find work that other people have done. And probably much more than that. So, yeah, so it should be very exciting.

[00:03:49] And my experience with conferences is that you go, you listen to the speakers, but actually the magic can sometimes happen in the coffee breaks, can't it? It's that networking thing of people who are passionate about the space, whether they're trans or not, or non-binary or whatever. But it's that thing about we're sitting down and thinking about different areas. So that's important. And the hub thing is interesting. So I guess people that come here, come to the conference, are they going to be part of that hub? Are they going to be able to use that hub afterwards? I've got no idea what a hub might look like.

[00:04:19] I don't know fully either. I think that's part of the joy of starting something, figuring it out, is to see how it's going to work. And yeah, we will be inviting people who attend the conference to become founding members of the hub and to be involved in the committee that will shape what the hub looks like. So it's not going to be completely led by people that are already working at Beyond Reflections.

[00:04:44] We'll be working with the community of trans researchers to find out what trans researchers need from the hub, because it's no good for us to put something on that isn't actually useful to anybody. So it'll be a collaborative effort post the conference that people at the conference can find out more information about and sign up to be involved in. Sounds good. So I'm aware that applications for research projects to talk about are past, aren't they? So is this for people to come and attend and listen?

[00:05:14] If they're going to come, how will they come? And what will they expect to see? Yeah, so we've already got all our presentations and stuff lined up, which is a really exciting and varied lineup of stuff. I think a lot of the time as well, we think about trans healthcare research, but there's all kinds of stuff from the humanities talking about trans people in horror. There's one I'm really excited for about gender euphoria as well.

[00:05:40] I think a lot of the time we talk about negative trans stuff, but this is actually some research on some positives. So really looking forward to that. And we've got some workshops running alongside the presentations as well. So, yes, I'm really just pushing for people to come and get involved and have a chat. And as you said, although the deadline for presenting your work has passed, that doesn't mean that the deadline for being involved as a researcher has passed.

[00:06:08] Because a lot of stuff happens in the breaks, over lunch, over coffee. We want the day to be a bit more relaxed than perhaps a typical conference, especially because we know that there's a lot of neurodiversity within the community. So that could be a struggle to sit there locked in for a few hours and then get 10 minutes to have a wee and a coffee and then it's back.

[00:06:36] So we've split the conference up quite a lot. So there's a lot of time for talking and networking with different people and to get involved in different ways. That's amazing. You also mentioned, didn't you, that there's a sort of a neurodiverse thing. Is there anything particularly in the conference about neurodiversity or is it all just trans related stuff? Oh, no, absolutely. There's a lot of researchers. I think a lot of our... So we're having the Non-Binary Researchers Collective do a panel.

[00:07:04] And I know that a lot of their research tends to be is around the overlap between transness and neurodiversity. Yeah, so that's definitely going to be a topic for the day. And I think you're letting us come along because we're minor sponsors, aren't we? And we're going to record an episode of people's reactions, such like trans voices talking about these things. So that would be interesting. Because the thing, I guess from what you're saying is that these are all researchers. These are all PhD, master's students.

[00:07:32] Because a lot of times these big conferences, they tend to be people who are already published. The sort of... I remember someone calling the sort of trans... The people who are always going to conferences. So this is almost like, it sounds like the voices of tomorrow, isn't it? The up and coming, the rising stars. Is that fair or was that a bit too... No, I think that's true. And I think that, as you said, bigger conferences tend to be people who are already qualified. People are always talking about this stuff going to.

[00:08:01] And then you have sort of university conferences that the PhD students go to. But if you're the only trans researcher at your university, then it's not massively helpful to go along to a conference where everybody's talking about something completely different. So yes, the idea is to bring all of those people together in one room. I was quite shocked about the... We've got some people from all over the place. I think one of the people is at some university in Ireland.

[00:08:30] And there's someone from Edinburgh. And it's just lots of different people from across the country. But yeah, I think it's primarily kind of PhD. This is very fresh, very up and coming research, which is exciting. It is. And I'm guessing from what you're saying there, it's hybrid because there's obviously on an online element, but there's obviously an offline element too. So where is the physical bit of it? The physical bit is at Bournemouth University Lansdowne campus.

[00:08:58] So that's the campus that is right by the station rather than the one that's in the middle of nowhere. So it's just... Get off. If you're travelling in, want an easy way in, just buy the train and it's a five minute walk from there. So that's very lovely. Bournemouth University has actually given us the space for free. So that was very lovely of them as well. And so if I want to buy a free ticket or a subsidised sponsored free ticket, which is very exciting.

[00:09:26] Or if I want to pass on this information to someone else. Tell me all those sorts of logistical bits and bobs. Yeah. So all the information is on our website. I've completely forgotten what it is now. Beyond-reflections.org.uk. Under what's on events. You find all the information and where to buy tickets there. Yes. Even though it's free, you do need to register so we can get everybody's dietary requirements and know who's coming in person, who's coming online.

[00:09:55] Are you feeding people? We are feeding people. Good to see. After much deliberation. What a lovely sponsor. You mentioned there are other conferences in the world though. There's something, as I remember when I was reading the website myself earlier, isn't this linked to another conference? This is again what makes a difference. Yes. Yeah. So we're linking with the Trans Liberation Conference, which is being held by the Feminist Gender Equality Network.

[00:10:24] I always forget what all the different letters and abbreviations mean. So they're hosting a conference that's just over a month after ours on the 21st of June. And we've collaborated with them to be able to feed in some of our presentations into their conference, which again is a really exciting opportunity for the people that are presenting at our conference, because often when you're further back just doing your PhD,

[00:10:51] you don't get an opportunity to speak at bigger events or be in the room with the Transerati, as you say. Well, it'll be really lovely because I know you're looking after the day and you're making sure that everybody, everything runs. There's always the great, the good who have to stand up and pontificate at the beginning of these things. But in a sense, you're going to make sure it all works nicely and people have that time to network and there's going to be places for people to chill out and relax and such. But it's key that the people on the hybrid thing also get that stuff as well.

[00:11:20] So you were telling me some ideas about how we're going to make sure the hybrid community doesn't feel neglected. What were you thinking there? Yeah, no, I really hate when you go to the conference online and it's just sit at your computer on your own for an hour and then it's break time and you just go off to your own kitchen and make cup of tea and all that. Because, yeah, something that I love about going to events and going to conferences is that networking time and a free lunch, obviously.

[00:11:47] So, yes, it's really important to make sure that the hybrid people get some of that connection as well. We're thinking about, with Transvox, doing some online conversations as well, as you'll be having in person. So trying to have an online sort of conversations element. And also hosting, I guess, networking online, but a space in the breaks for people to have a chat about what they've heard, have a chat about their own research.

[00:12:17] Yeah, so really trying to make sure that they have a chance to engage as well with each other and provide that link for people in person at the conference to go online so they could potentially join in with those chats as well and really try and make sure there's less of a divide. Yeah, and this is an annual thing, I'm guessing, because I'm guessing you want everybody who's got the hybrid experience to join the Trans Hub thing. This is just not a once and done, I'm guessing, because actually there's no... It'd be nice actually to have someone who's in the first year of a PhD

[00:12:46] come back over the years and see their research develop and such, wouldn't it? Yeah, it would be. And yeah, as I said, attendees to the conference, both in person and online, are welcome to join in on the Hub, be a part of the committee and all of that. But yeah, so I don't know if it's going to be annual. Maybe if it goes really well, it'd be more frequently than annual with the Research Hub, or maybe it won't look like a conference more frequently,

[00:13:14] but it'll be something slightly different, a get-together, working, co-working opportunities, stuff like that. Because I think, again, with your traditional annual conference, it's just a bit... See everybody there. Yeah, a bit traditional. You see everybody there once a year, and then you never speak the rest of the time. If somebody misses one year and they've completely forgotten about, and nobody cares what they're doing anymore.

[00:13:39] So yeah, so the point of the Hub is to really make sure that it's got a bit more longevity and connectivity between events, and to have more events than just your traditional annual conference. Brilliant. Okay, so tickets... Free. Tickets free. We buy for free online at beyondreflections.org.uk, and that's all we need to do. Yeah, pretty much. Show up, have a good time, talk to everybody. Sounds great.

[00:14:10] Yeah. And we'll see you there as well. Amazing. Good luck. Thanks. I feel like I'm going to need it. Thanks for listening to this episode of Transvox. It's been a joy to have you with us. If you want to make contact with us, you can contact us at gillian at transvox.co.uk, and all of our money goes to our nominated charity.

[00:14:38] And Jen, you've chosen the charity for the next number of episodes. Which one have you chosen? Our charity is called Beyond Reflections, which is a charity that provides support and counselling to trans people, non-binary people, and their friends and their families across the UK. An amazing charity doing some amazing work, really important. So please, if you can give. Great. And if you want to go and have a look at Beyond Reflections, it's beyond-reflections.org.uk. But as I say,

[00:15:06] if you'd like to make a contribution to what we're doing, because we love to help the people who help us. Again, if you've got ideas for the show, things you'd like to ask us, questions, comments, applause, or brickbats, feel free to send it all in to gillian at transvox.co.uk. Until the next time, goodbye. Bye-bye.