2nd Call for Transgender/ Intersex/ DSD/ Cross-Dresser/ Gender Variant/ Gender Queer-Identified/ First Nations/ Non-Western Gender Survey Participants

Call for Survey Participants – V7 – 17 February 2011 2nd Call for Transgender/ Intersex/ DSD/ Cross-Dresser/ Gender Variant/ Gender Queer-Identified/ First Nations/ Non-Western Gender Survey Participants SURVEY ON SUCCESSFUL AGING AND LATER LIFE CHALLENGES Hello, my name is Professor Tarynn M. Witten and I am looking for individuals who are willing to participate in an international research survey aimed at understanding how individuals with non-traditional gender identities (transgender, transsexual, cross-dresser, trans-queer, gender queer, gender variant, intersex, DSD, First Nations and other non-Western gender identities) prepare to address traditional later life challenges such as retirement, health care, money challenges, housing, caretaking and other later life problems that might arise as they age. If you have already participated (over 600 from 10 countries have already participated), we thank you very much and we ask that you take a moment to help us to please circulate this notice widely. If you have not participated, please take the time to fill out our survey by going to the link below. Current research in aging speaks of the importance of a number of factors that contribute to successful aging in a population. Among these areas of importance are planning for later life challenges. With the growing number of cross-dresser-identified, transgender-identified, intersex/DSD-identified, First Nations, non-Western gender-identified, gender variant and queer-identified elders worldwide, we hope to gain more information about how you are preparing for later-life. Your information will be used to help develop positive aging programs for these individuals. This research represents first of a kind research in this area. If you decide to take part, we will ask you to fill out the online survey located at the following web-address: http://survey.vcu.edu/surveys/TAKT5X The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes of your time. Everything that we learn about you in the study will be confidential. The survey is anonymous. If we publish the results of the study in a scientific magazine or book, we will not identify you in any way. No agency or organization will be allowed to see the survey results. Your decision to take part in this study is voluntary. You are free to choose not to take part in the study. The investigator is Professor Tarynn M. Witten. She has a long history of working in this area. If you have questions, please feel free to ask Dr. Witten. She can be reached at (804) 827-7371 [office], tmwitten@vcu.edu [email], http://www.people.vcu.edu/~tmwitten [web] or as tmwitten on Skype. Please feel free to cross-post, circulate and otherwise transmit this call for participants in whatever manner you choose. The more information we gather, the strong the results and the case that we can make. Although it sounds like a great deal of responses, 600 from 10 countries is not as much as you would think. We need your help and your responses. Help us get to 1,000 or more. The Virginia Commonwealth University committee that reviews research on human subjects (Institutional Review Board) will answer any questions about your rights as a survey participant. The IRB can be reached at (804) 828-0868 [phone] or online at http://www.research.vcu.edu/irb/contactus.htm. This research project carries VCU IRB approval number # HM 12851 and is being carried out under the auspices of the VCU Department of Gerontology.