Throughout my research, I am learning a lot about transmasculine people, specifically their experiences with conception, pregnancy, and parenting. I have gotten the opportunity to read, listen to, and watch various first-hand accounts, which has been very eye-opening, especially as I start to make sense of the data for my symposium presentation. On a technical level, I have learned how to code articles and have been practicing that skill quite a bit. I also plan to use coding for my symposium project to understand qualitative coding better. I am also improving my time management, especially balancing asynchronous and synchronous responsibilities. My social identities, such as being a queer, cisgender woman, impact this research by providing me with some shared experiences or insights into aspects of what it means to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, being cisgender means I do not share the specific lived experiences of trans individuals. This impacts my research by requiring me to make a conscious effort to approach my work with sensitivity to the nuances of transmasculine experiences that are outside my frame of reference. In recognizing this, I’ve had the opportunity to engage deeply with the trans community through inclusive methods that empower trans voices to ethically and accurately understand transmasculine pregnancy experiences. My social position allows me to act as an ally and advocate, using my research to highlight and address disparities and challenges specific to transmasculine individuals. Overall, life as a researcher has been treating me pretty well. I have appreciated the flexibility of working remotely and doing the work at my own pace. My specific research requires a lot of quantitative coding of articles, which has been fun to plug in, listen to music, and read and code articles. I also have loved the opportunity to explore my niche interest in healthcare disparities for LGBTQ+ communities within the broader project.
