2. Contribute to transgender people's well-being

Contribute to transgender people's well-being

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from €3,500 (82%)
7 fundraisers
1 team
85 donations

Research on and with transgender people is important! While more and more people are outing themselves as trans, many still face ignorance in our society. The stigma LGBTI+ people often face today, sometimes contribute to low self-esteem and elevated depression and suicide rates in this population. Maastricht University wants to target this ignorance through solid scientific research on transgender people throughout their transition.

Neuroimaging research on self-perception

Neuroscientist Mathilde Kennis feels great affinity for the transgender community. She is dedicated to explore the associations between the brain, self-concept, and (sexual) well-being of transgender participants. Insights into the neurobiology of transgender people can contribute to our understanding of why they feel the way they feel. To get a clear image of how the brain evolves during a transition, Mathilde’s team will make use of a state of the art MRI scanner. The current means to execute this research are not sufficient. With €3.500, Mathilde will be able to perform this important line of research.

The outcomes of the studies can be of value for the development of improved (psychological) guidance of transgender people, with a goal to improve their health and happiness. The insights gained can contribute to our general understanding about this group of people, hereby making another important step to bring tolerance and discrimination to an end.

 

“Even in today’s society, transgender people are often discriminated and often not always taken seriously. I want my research to do exactly the opposite: to see them and to validate them.” – Mathilde Kennis

 Professional effort

Mathilde Kennis, PhD student at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, will be supervised during this research by Prof. Dr. Alexander Sack and Dr. Felix Duecker, practiced neuroscientists, and Dr. Marieke Dewitte, an expert on sexuality and self-concept. Prof. Dr. Guy T’Sjoen of Ghent University, one of the most renowned scientists within the field of transgender research, will also supervise her.

 

UM Crowd is part of University Fund Limburg/SWOL. This Fund is a recognized 'algemeen nut beogende instelling' (ANBI). This hallmark means that your donation is, in principle, tax deductable. You will receive an automatically generated e-mail with a proof of payment after your donation. Click here for more information about ANBI.

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05-12-2019 | 20:22
05-12-2019 | 18:39
01-12-2019 | 12:55 To: Running for transgender research Attending the meeting at remembrance day 20th of November -organised by UMpride- I was very touched by the ritual of lighting candles and speak out the names of the victims that were murdered for being their beautiful selves...
30-11-2019 | 09:03 To: Running for transgender research
21-11-2019 | 01:10 To: Transgender Day of Remembrance event Proceedings bakesale fundraiser transgender day of remembrance event
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THANK YOU!

 27-01-2020 | 15:12 The crowdfunding campaign for the transgender studies at Maastricht University has come to an end! Thanks to many fundraisers, that had a close connection to the community, the campaign resulted in a beautiful sum of money for research and extra visibility of the rainbow community in Maastricht. The LGBT+ student association Dionyx organized a creepy Halloween party, diversity platform UM Pride put its shoulders under a touching event for Transgender Day of Remembrance, and researcher Mathilde’s colleagues ran the Brussels’ marathon to raise money. Overall, €2.888 was raised, all coming from donations of people who find research into transgender people’s well-being important. Mathilde and her team are getting into action: they are currently running a smartphone study and will soon start with a big project involving neuroimaging. When all the results have been processed, the conclusions will be communicated to the public and everyone supporting the campaign. We want to thank everyone who supported the fundraisers, shared the campaign on social media, and of course the many people who made donations. Together we will contribute to a better societal understanding of the transgender community!
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