Trans+ Virtual Centre of Excellence
The Trans+ Virtual Centre of Excellence (TVCE) is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and advocacy group. The TVCE membership is formed by a collective of international scholars and researchers whose practice is world-leading. It also includes researchers who are aligned with trans+ focused NGO's and welcomes ECR's whose imperative/research holds the potential to be world-forming. Their collective intention is to produce and extend the impact of new knowledge from their own research through the centre to benefit trans+ lives.
The TVCE foregrounds research that supports a safe, caring, and supportive space. It also recognises that members of the TVCE may encounter personal difficulties during periods of research, especially with consideration of lived experiences affecting the trans+ community across a myriad of intersectional identities, it therefore will always seek to prioritise care and adaptation for all.
The TVCE was founded with the intention to exist beyond the geographic boundaries of a single institution and/or country as an act of preservation and safety during a time of unstable global political turmoil that directly targets Trans+ lives and intersectional marginalised groups. Its "virtualness" creates a safe queer space for trans+ people irrespective of political upheaval and oppression.
The TVCE meets monthly online, while working groups self-organise to accommodate their members. An asynchronous online space provides members a space to connect between meetings and engage with materials, conversations, and emerging imperatives.
Annually the TVCE will hold a symposium based around the theme "Queer Acts of Hope." Hope is not passive—it is a radical, active force. It’s present in the everyday decision to live authentically, in mutual aid and grassroots organising, in creative and scholarly practice, and in our collective refusal to give up on the future. This annual event will create a space dedicated to celebrating trans+ lived experiences and academic research. This interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary gathering will bring together scholars, artists, activists, and community members to explore and showcase work that uplifts, critiques, and expands understanding of trans+ existence, resistance, and joy. Contributions will explore, affirm, celebrate, and advocate for trans+ lives. While recognising the realities of oppression, it will aim to resist the exploitation of trauma and instead centre transformative research, practice, and community-building.
We welcome membership expressions of interest from all trans+ people as well as allies and accomplices to join us.
Our Members
Members' research represents a broad spectrum of world-leading interdisciplinary perspectives.
Each member shares the imperative to develop outcomes that produce world-leading impact, public engagement and knowledge exchange opportunities from their research to benefit Trans+ inclusion and advocacy.
Our membership recognises and supports the Hidden Disability Sunflower 🌻 scheme.
We currently have members from across Australia, Canada, Romania, Sweden, UK and USA. Some of our current membership includes researchers affiliated with:
- Birkbeck University of London
- California State University San Marcos
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama
- Durham University
- Edge Hill University
- Edinburgh Napier University
- George Washington University
- Kristianstad University
- London Metropolitan University
- Manchester Law School
- Middlesex University
- Oxford Brookes University
- Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- Sheffield Hallam University
- Sordoni Art Gallery
- Swansea University
- The Open University
- TransArt Institute
- TransCore
- University of Edinburgh
- University of the Fraser Valley
- University of Bristol
- University of Glasgow
- University of Maine
- University of Northern Iowa
- University of Oregon
- University of Plymouth
- University of Portsmouth
- University of Salford
- University of Southern California
- University of Stirling
- University of Surrey
- University of Sydney
- University of Vermont
- Urban Soil Institute
- Wilkes University
- York University Toronto
The Working Groups
Our working groups welcome new members to join established groups or make new group proposals. We are particularly keen to welcome increased representation from areas such healthcare, law, social sciences, de-colonial and global majority studies, philosophy, queer geographies, disability studies, and trans-feminist psychology.
In 24/25 our working groups included: Phenomenology of Trans+ Art and Activism, Trans+ Decolonisation, Trans+ Futures, Trans+ Kinship and Queer Care, Trans+ Performance, Media and Materialities.
We are now accepting proposals for our 25/26 working groups.
Every group should welcome researchers from other subject areas who are keen to foreground interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary practice through their enquiries. The TVCE also encourages researchers to sit outside of working groups or attend them as guests.
Co-leadership
Dr T. J. Bacon (she/they) 🌻
Publishing under the name T. J. Bacon and creating artwork using the moniker tjb, Dr Tōmei June Bacon is a trans-femme pansexual person with hidden disabilities. Her practice as an artist-philosopher foregrounds transgender studies and phenomenology, alongside queer theory, crip theory, disaster studies, and futures to consider visual art, performance art, activism and curation. She is a leading voice in the field of queer phenomenological studies of performance art and a global advocate for intersectional Trans+ inclusion. She has exhibited internationally for over 20 years with a practice rooted in the elemental and esoteric. She is also the founder and artistic director of Tempting Failure which produces and supports international visual art, performance art and sonic art. And she is principal investigator on the Queer Acts of Hope line of enquiry at the Guildhall De-Centre for Socially Engaged Practice & Research. She is the founder of the Trans+ Virtual Centre of Excellence.
Criteria for Membership
Membership is free but is subject to a selection process. We are particularly keen to welcome individuals whose lived experience and/or research extends across marginalised intersectional identities.
- Members should be either completing their doctorates, be early career researchers or established independent researchers with post-graduate qualification(s), each with a demonstrable record of significant publishing in their field. Where significant evidence of research can be presented, doctorate applicants (prior to upgrade) may also be considered.
- Members may also be researchers associated with NGO's, Charities or CIC's that advocate for Trans+ lives, especially across legal and healthcare concerns.
- PhD candidates or those preparing to apply for doctoral study are also welcome to apply but must demonstrate relevant research enquiries and may be asked to take on additional voluntary support roles (such as facilitators within the asynchronous forum or minute taking at meetings etc).
- All members will be required to agree and uphold the rules and values of the TVCE as listed in our asynchronous forum.
- Members should commit to engaging with at least one working group.
- Members should attend the main monthly group meetings as often as possible where schedules and external pressures or responsibilities allow.
- Members are expected to participate in our asynchronous forum; engaging in conversations online on a regular basis to help maintain a healthy, productive and neighbourly online space.
- Members should attend the annual symposium.
- Members will be encouraged to publicly represent the TVCE and expand membership growth.
- Members should develop pathways that recognise the TVCE in their research applications for funding or support.
Credits:
Trans+ Virtual Centre of Excellence (TVCE) is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and advocacy group. It was established to focus on creating a network for world-leading research that celebrates Trans+ lives through acts of hope, advocacy, activism and lived experiences.