Crowdfunding postgraduate scholarship to transform sexuality and gender research

Launched in 2020, the Transforming Sexuality and Gender scholarship is the only of its kind in the UK, and is awarded to a candidate committed to making a difference to the wider Trans community, especially its most marginalised members - for example, disabled Trans people, and Trans people of colour.

The Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender is hoping to raise £16,000 to secure its scholarship for the future. The funding project will only receive pledges if at least £7,704 is pledged by 20 August 2021, to fund a student for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The CTSG's Director Dr Olu Janzen said: “With this scholarship, the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender is looking to build researcher capacity within and around the trans community. Access to higher education is an issue for marginalised groups and this fundraising campaign is an opportunity to support and give opportunities to individuals who have great potential to make a difference and be part of a change towards more gender inclusive research.”

Caleb Hayes is the current Transforming Sexuality and Gender scholarship student, researching the experiences of transgender individuals with domestic violence or abuse.

He said: "I hope for my academic work to contribute towards polices or initiatives aiming to support trans people - for example, working with domestic violence support services or LGBT charities in the future to create domestic violence support specifically for transgender people.

“Having the CTSG scholarship connection has been so beneficial with the demanding aspects of the course, both support wise and in terms of resources. I’ve used a lot of resources found through the CTSG to develop ideas for essays, my dissertation, and my PhD proposal."