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.
As the researchers started to analyze the interviews, they found inspiring metaphors to describe the participants’ experiences. To help give these stories life, they partnered with Zeph Fishlyn, a visual artist, to transform the quotes into visually striking postcards, each telling a unique story of resilience.
Since their creation, the postcards have become much more than research artifacts — they’re connections between people, offering hope and visibility during increasingly challenging times for trans and nonbinary communities.
“Simple gestures, like receiving a letter or postcard, can foster a sense of connection and support for trans and nonbinary individuals, reminding them that they matter, especially when so much of our community is being silenced from a political level,” said Puckett.
As anti-trans legislation continues to emerge, these postcards remain a testament to the strength, creativity and unwavering spirit of transgender and nonbinary individuals.
According to DuBois, “Resilience is more than an individual trait — it is something developed through life and is about connection and community support. We are hoping the postcards can help foster those community connections, particularly in the context of the ongoing attacks targeting trans and nonbinary people in the U.S.”
Interested in receiving a copy of the postcards for yourself or others this Pride Month? The team of researchers mail small packets of postcards to individuals who would like them. Request postcards at the project’s website.
