Beyond the Binary in BC: Taking a patient-oriented and trauma-informed approach to building partnerships and dialogue to incorporate gender equity into women’s health research

Dedicated women’s health research is a relatively recent milestone. Available guidance for including trans and intersex people in this work has not acknowledged the social, historical and political contexts that led to naming cisgender women (women whose gender aligns with their sex assigned at birth) in research, and tends to be focused either on clinical work (e.g. how to refer to patients and their anatomy) or on data collection (e.g. how to ask about sex and gender).

“Beyond the Binary” will include a survey to assess current gender-equity initiatives in BC, two educational workshops, and two knowledge exchange events to inform guidance for gender-equitable practice within BC’s women’s health research community. To co-create safe, trauma-informed, and patient-oriented guidance, trans and intersex people will be invited to participate in these activities and to participate on a Community Steering Committee. Through collaboration with people from trans, intersex, research, health, ethics, and academic communities, we aim to develop context-specific guidance, resources, and recommendations for researchers and health decision-makers to bridge this knowledge gap.

Team members: Beverley Pomeroy (Fraser Health); Laurel Evans (UBC); Caroline Sanders (University of Northern British Columbia); Ann Pederson (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre); Michelle Chan (UBC); Tamara Baldwin (UBC); Lindsay Carpenter (University of Northern British Columbia); Faith Jabs (UBC); Skye Barbic (UBC); Julia Santana Parrila (Women’s Health Research Institute); Nicole Prestley-Stuart (Women’s Health Research Institute); Lorraine Greaves (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health); Lori Brotto (UBC); Wendy Robinson (BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute); Melissa Nelson (Women’s Health Research Institute); AJ Murray (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre)