Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Oregon have given out over 10,000 postcards to the community over the past couple of years — postcards that highlight what resilience means to the transgender and nonbinary community. To date, over 150 detailed interviews with participants have taken place to support the project.

In 2019, Jae Puckett, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology, and Zachary DuBois from the University of Oregon set out to explore how social and political climates impact the lived experiences of transgender and nonbinary individuals across four states including Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee and Nebraska.

Through in-depth interviews, 158 participants shared their experiences of living in their state. They also shared meaningful stories about how they define and experience resilience as transgender and nonbinary people.

“Resilience often implies bouncing back from challenges, but for this community, transphobia is constant and pervasive. It isn’t here one day and gone the next, so we wanted to center their voices to help redefine what resilience is when faced with these chronic stressors and, particularly, integrating a focus on gender experiences,” Puckett said.