TransActive Issues Research Project Clarification

Jan. 23, 2011 - PRLog -- On Friday, January 21, 2011 TranActive released a request for narrative accounts related to the experiences of families with transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth. This request is related to ongoing research that TransActive is conducting in order to better evaluate both the effectiveness of our current programs and the needs of these children, youth and families. This request for family narratives is still in effect, however a clarification needs to be made regarding the stated collaboration between the University of Portland, Portland State University and, in particular, Anissa Rogers, Ph.D and Heidi Allen, Ph.D.

CLARIFICATION: TransActive has collaborated with both Anissa Rogers and Heidi Allen on ways in which the work we do might be helpful or informative to some of their graduate and undergraduate students. TransActive staff currently assists students with regard to independent research they may engage in on childhood transgender and gender non-conforming identity. Without prior review or approval by either Anissa Rogers or Heidi Allen, or authorization from an Independent Review Board this request for narratives was issued by TransActive and the impression was conveyed that they and their institutions were involved in this specific research project. That was not accurate and we sincerely apologize for this unintentional error.

While both Dr. Anissa Rogers and Dr. Heidi Allen support the work of TransActive and have expressed an interest in conducting research that will shed new light on the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming children and the effectiveness of affirming standard of care models, there is no existing, IRB-approved research relationship at this time between TransActive and Dr. Rogers, Dr. Allen, the University of Portland or Portland State University.

Additionally, TransActive Client Services manager, Sheryl Rindel, LPC, NCC relied on my awareness of the current status of the research relationship when she issued this request for family narratives and as such, bears no responsibility for the error.

We regret any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused, and have implemented policies and procedures to insure such an error does not occur in the future.

Sincerely,


Jenn Burleton
Executive Director
TransActive Education & Advocacy

# # #

TransActive is a diverse and motivated volunteer team of people, working together to provide transgender children and youth a present and future in which they can thrive, achieve their dreams and express their individuality.