Unmuted: Equity in Focus — Centering Trans and Non-Binary Perspectives in Cancer Care

In this first episode of the Unmuted: Equity in Focus 🎙️ series, hosts Carly and Sabrina sit down with Dr. A.J. Lowik, a sociologist, educator, and advocate whose work centers on making health research and care more inclusive. Together, they explore why sex and gender both matter in gynecologic cancer research and treatment, and what it means to create care systems that recognize and meet the needs of trans and non-binary people. Dr. Lowik shares insights on the barriers trans patients face in cancer care, the impact of cisnormativity on treatment decisions, and how inclusive approaches can ultimately benefit everyone. They also explain strategies for designing more valid, reliable, and inclusive gynecologic cancer research — from rethinking data collection to ensuring representation in study design. From fertility considerations to gender-affirming possibilities within treatment, this conversation highlights why inclusion is essential to equity in gynecologic oncology. Join us as we unmute voices and perspectives that are too often overlooked — and imagine what truly inclusive cancer care can look like. Resources:Article that explores trans folks, cancer and euphoria: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10101894/Canadian research project looking specifically at trans gyne cancer: https://queeringcancer.ca/projects-gyne-cancer-careBlog post from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology about creating gender-affirming care spaces: https://www.sgo.org/blog/creating-inclusive-affirming-gynecologic-cancer-care-during-pride-month-and-beyond/Review article that looks at trans peoples gynecologic oncology needs: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13669-024-00386-x For more information on the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, please visit https://gynecancerinitiative.ca/ or email us at [email protected]  Where to learn more about us:  Twitter – @GCI_Cluster Instagram – @gynecancerinitiative Facebook – facebook.com/gynecancerinitiativeTikTok – @gci_gosh