Pride Month: LGBTQ+ Research Spotlight

Gender-inclusive language in obstetrics and gynaecology teaching

Dr Debbie Aitken (she/her), Senior Departmental Lecturer in Medical Education

Georgia Lin (she/her), DPhil student

Bhabesh San San Wal, DPhil student

‘Exploring the use of gender-inclusive language in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) teaching’ is a medical education research project funded by the John Fell Fund. Through qualitative interviews and survey data with medical students and clinicians, we investigate how gender-inclusive language (such as the use of gender-neutral pronouns, non-gendered medical language such as ‘pregnant person’ rather than only ‘pregnant mothers’) is used in O&G teaching at the University of Oxford.

This research aims to chart a future for how to embed gender-inclusive language in clinical training and medical practice for incoming generations of healthcare professionals so that non-binary, trans, and gender-diverse patients feel more comfortable accessing O&G care and build more inclusive, holistic health services.

LGBTQ+ archives and student experiences

Milo Edwards (they/them), DPhil student

Milo’s doctoral research is based on the use of archival materials containing insight into LGBTQ+ student experiences from the 1970s onward as prompts for discussions with current LGBTQ+ students about their senses of belonging at/to Sussex, Bristol and Oxford universities.

They are supported by supervisors, Velda Elliott and David Mills. Milo is thankful for their supervisors creating space for LGBTQ+ research in the Department.

This Pride, they would like to highlight the library’s increasing collection of LGBTQ+ related books and a new Informal LGBTQ+ Research Group organised by Dr Debbie Aitken.

Leadership and visibility in education

Jonny Tridgell (he/him), Researcher/General Tutor

Jonny’s work is on LGBT+ leadership and visibility in education. His recent publication in the British Journal of RE analysed missed and misrepresentations of homosexuality and African Christianities in religious education textbooks. He is especially interested in using non-extractive and feminist methodologies to better represent queer experiences, and in the role assessment bodies can play in promoting (or slowing) LGBTQ+ liberation.

This Pride, Jonny would like to highlight Oxford’s LGBT+ Staff Network, which is open to all members of professional and academic staff at the university, as well as postgraduates, and the excellent work done by the Pride & Progress LGBTQ+ Research Network.

Role models and representation of LGBTQIA+ identifying UK medical students

Dr Antony Zacharias (he/him), Research Fellow

Dr Debbie Aitken (she/her), Senior Departmental Lecturer in Medical Education

Robert Douglas (he/him), NHS Doctor

Antony was a master’s student at the Department of Education from 2021-23, and met Debbie in her role as course lead. His dissertation, supervised by Debbie, explored how LGBTQIA+ identifying UK medical students experience role models, and how they may be a powerful tool for representation. Following publication, Antony and Debbie partnered with Robert (a fellow NHS resident doctor) to further their work and explore the impact of other intersectional minority identities on LGBTQIA+ role modelling relationships in medical schools.

Our varied backgrounds and experiences as LGBTQIA+ medical educators and clinicians have been crucial to the success of the project. Our current work is funded by the Department of Education Small Research Grant, highlighting the Departments’ commitment to making a real-world difference in education across disciplines. We are very grateful for its support, itself fostering LGBTQIA+ role models in all it does!

Policy analysis of EDI support

Yiran Ma (she/her), DPhil student

Yiran presented her work, ‘Policy Analysis of the University of Oxford’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality Support Mechanisms for LGBTQIA+ Students and Staff’, at the LGBTQ+ Research Group convened by Dr Debbie Aitken. Through a critical discourse analysis, she examined the University’s overlooked intersectional inequalities, drawing on lived experiences across domains such as recruitment, teaching, research, funding, and leadership.

Her DPhil research, ‘Impact cultures in challenge-led multidisciplinary research collaborations in universities’ climate-nature emergency research centres’, supervised by Professor Alis Oancea and Professor Simon Marginson, critically explores epistemic justice as Science and Technology Studies.

This Pride, she would like to highlight the colleges’ rainbow flags for embodiment and becoming.