Barriers to Belonging:
Investigating the perspectives of trans and gender non-conforming individuals during field research experiences

Randy Hartmann, Washington University in St. Louis
Susan Flowers, MA, Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis

Presented at the Tyson Summer Symposium on August 3, 2023 at Tyson Research Center in Eureka, MO.
Presented at the Washington University Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 19, 2024 in St. Louis, MO.

Social Code Descriptions

Misgendering: Individual mentions being misgendered or referred to as a gender other than the one they identify in some other way.

Gendered Spaces: Individual mentions feeling uncomfortable with gendered spaces such as bathrooms or housing. They could also report staying in housing or using the bathroom that corresponds to their birth sex due to being misidentified by superiors or for safety concerns.

Generalized Fear: Individual reports feeling unsafe in the field context due to the location of the work, the attitude of their peers, mentors, or locals, etc.

Presentation: Individual mentions having to present a specific way to feel safe. This could mean continuing to outwardly appear as their birth sex and allow misgendering or feeling pressured to present a certain way.

Harassment: Individual reports experiencing explicit bullying, microaggressions, or mental, physical, or sexual harrassment.

Physical Code Descriptions

Chest binding/tucking: Individual reports physical discomfort with binding or tucking or arising dysphoria that comes up with not being able to bind or tuck. Chest binding is the act of compressing breasts to give the appearance of a flat chest. Tucking is the act of hiding a bulge in the crotch area by positioning genitals in a certain way.

Gear: Individual mentions having problems finding gear or using gear that may not seem appropriate for the situation.

Passing: Individual mentions doing things that others did not have to do in order to be able to pass as the gender they identify, such as discomfort with peeing in the field.

Medication: Individual mentions having issues getting access to hormones or side effects from lack of hormones.

Legal Code Descriptions

Criminalization: Individual reports laws criminalizing members of the LGBTQIA+ community as a reason to avoid certain field research experiences.

Documentation: Individual mentions having legal documentation different than what is aligned with their identity. This could include gender markers or names.