There is still limited research available on the experiences of gender variant people. This is even more especially so on the experiences of significant others, family, friends and allies (SOFFAs) of transgender persons. Further research and the sharing of information has a strong potential to make a significant difference in many peoples lives (trans- and cisgender).
Carol Musikanth has recently contacted me for assistance with finding participants for her research to help families of transgender individuals. See her introduction and request for willing participants below:
Hi, my name is Carol and I am a Psychology Master’s student at the University of South Africa (Unisa)
I am currently in the process doing research for my Master’s degree in Psychology focusing in particular on family members of transgender individuals. The aim of the research is to ascertain from parents, partners and siblings of a transgender individual what their experience was like during the transition of their family member so that this information can be used to help other parents, partners and siblings who may be going through the same experience.
I know that when my family and I went through my son’s transition, we did not have any real support of any organisation, psychologists or even our GP until much later. At that stage no one really had any understanding of, or experience in transgenderism. There was no specific information I could gleam from any book or the internet that would indicate whether the feelings of loss and trauma that we were experiencing were normal or even acceptable. I had no idea if there were other families who going through the same experience.
By doing this research, I would like to publish a book which hopefully will normalise any feelings of anxiety, confusion, loss and trauma that family members may experience as well as give them the tools to deal with these feelings and emotions so that they can reach a good place of acceptance and understanding of their loved one and their journey. It is also hoped that health professionals will benefit from the book too, by having a better understanding of the family’s transition and thereby better equipped to assist these families.
I am therefore appealing to you the families of transgender individuals to assist me with my research by sharing your experiences with me? I would love your personal experience to not only contribute to the quality of my research but that your stories will enable other parents to relate to them and be able to deal with their own trauma through your experience.
Please be assured that any information that you may share will be dealt with ethically, sensitively and totally confidentially. Any information that will appear in the research or the book will not include any names, or personal details that be identified as belonging to anyone in particular. It will be totally anonymous.
Take time, think about it and let me know. I look forward to you being a part of my journey to helping other transitioning families.
Kind regards
Carol Musikanth
Email : mus@iafrica.com
Mobile: 082 566 7452
Carol Musikanth has recently contacted me for assistance with finding participants for her research to help families of transgender individuals. See her introduction and request for willing participants below:
Hi, my name is Carol and I am a Psychology Master’s student at the University of South Africa (Unisa)
I am currently in the process doing research for my Master’s degree in Psychology focusing in particular on family members of transgender individuals. The aim of the research is to ascertain from parents, partners and siblings of a transgender individual what their experience was like during the transition of their family member so that this information can be used to help other parents, partners and siblings who may be going through the same experience.
I know that when my family and I went through my son’s transition, we did not have any real support of any organisation, psychologists or even our GP until much later. At that stage no one really had any understanding of, or experience in transgenderism. There was no specific information I could gleam from any book or the internet that would indicate whether the feelings of loss and trauma that we were experiencing were normal or even acceptable. I had no idea if there were other families who going through the same experience.
By doing this research, I would like to publish a book which hopefully will normalise any feelings of anxiety, confusion, loss and trauma that family members may experience as well as give them the tools to deal with these feelings and emotions so that they can reach a good place of acceptance and understanding of their loved one and their journey. It is also hoped that health professionals will benefit from the book too, by having a better understanding of the family’s transition and thereby better equipped to assist these families.
I am therefore appealing to you the families of transgender individuals to assist me with my research by sharing your experiences with me? I would love your personal experience to not only contribute to the quality of my research but that your stories will enable other parents to relate to them and be able to deal with their own trauma through your experience.
Please be assured that any information that you may share will be dealt with ethically, sensitively and totally confidentially. Any information that will appear in the research or the book will not include any names, or personal details that be identified as belonging to anyone in particular. It will be totally anonymous.
Take time, think about it and let me know. I look forward to you being a part of my journey to helping other transitioning families.
Kind regards
Carol Musikanth
Email : mus@iafrica.com
Mobile: 082 566 7452
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