About the Project:
The Ontario Digital Learning and Access Network (ODLAN) had partnered with Wisdom2Action (W2A) to lead a new research study titled “Digital Resilience: Addressing the Rise of Transphobic Online Hate through Community-Based Research.”*
*We use the phrase “online hate” as umbrella terms that include incidents such as cyberbullying, cyberharassment, cyberstalking, transphobic digital media, doxxing, swatting, and digital to physical violence (e.g., victims of doxxing being harassed or physically harmed by mobs of anonymous online people).
This study is made possible thanks to funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The purpose of this research is to:
To complete this research study, we are seeking to conduct 12 interviews with 2STN+ professionals who work in Canadian non-profits or community organizations that serve 2STN+ and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Specifically, we are interviewing people who meet the following requirements:
If you meet this criteria then we invite you to register to participate in an interview. Please note that we have a limited number of spots available; not everyone who registers will be invited to an interview. Prospective participants will be selected to maximize diversity and geographic representation.
Registering to participate does not mean that you consent to participate. If selected for an interview, we will send you a detailed consent form. We will ask for your consent to participate prior to the start of the interview.
About the interviews
These interviews will take place virtually over Zoom and will be one hour in length. These interviews will be audio recorded through Zoom and transcribed for analysis.
In the interviews we will ask participants about their experiences with transphobic online hate and its impacts on their participation in Canadian society. We will also ask if and how participants and the organizations they work for are mitigating and responding to these experiences of transphobic online hate, with a focus on identifying specific policies and strategies being used.
Participants will be provided an $120 honorarium via e-transfer to recognize their time. Honoraria will be sent 3-4 weeks after the interview.
What will happen with your data?
Data will be de-identified and all data and potentially identifying information (including zoom recordings and transcription) will be kept confidential and will be securely stored using York University-supported secure storage platform. Findings will be used to inform a final report for this study and will be widely shared through social media, as well as at conferences, to highlight the issue of transphobic online hate and its unique impacts on the individuals and organizations that work to serve 2STN+ communities.
This study will fill gaps in knowledge about the impacts of transphobic online hate and allow for the development of resources that can be used by 2STN+ professionals and organizations to help mitigate the harm of transphobic online hate.
Are there any risks associated with participating?
This is a low-risk study; however, the content matter this project covers may be triggering and/or traumatizing (a list of mental health and wellness resources will be shared with participants prior to the interviews). Breach of confidentiality could also pose risk to participants. We are taking precautions to protect participants’ privacy and confidentiality to minimize these risks.
How to sign up
If you would like to register to participate in an interview please fill out the questions below. Please note that due to the limited number of spots available, registration does not guarantee participation. After you complete the registration form, we will contact you to arrange a pre-screening interview that will take place over the phone or Zoom. This meeting will take about 5 minutes. During this meeting we will ask you questions to confirm your eligibility for an interview. Responses will only be used to assess eligibility and will not be retained for any other purposes. After the screening call, only those who receive emails to confirm their inclusion will be able to participate.
If there are any questions or concerns about the interviews, please send an email to Rayan@wisdom2action.org with the subject line “Digital Resilience Project.”
If there are any questions or concerns about the interviews, please send an email with the subject line “Digital Resilience Project” to:
In the spirit of reconciliation, Wisdom2Action acknowledges the land on which it was originally established as the traditional and unceded territory of the M’ikmaq, known as Mi’kmak’i (Nova Scotia). Our team is spread across Turtle Island (Canada) on the treaty lands of many First Nations. We recognize the people and the land in this way as part of our commitment to anti-oppression and decolonization. We are all treaty people.
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