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Researching Transgender Healthcare: Winning the BPS POWES Undergraduate Award
Ben (he/they) is a recent BSc Psychology graduate from Leeds Beckett University whose research focuses on critical feminism and gender theory within healthcare contexts. In this blog, he shares his experiences as a queer and trans masculine student, how this influenced his research, and how his final-year project won the BPS Psychology of Women and Equalities Section (POWES) Undergraduate Award 2026.
Winning the award
In my three years of studying at Leeds Beckett University, I’ve noticed that the most meaningful research comes from embracing curiosity, critical reflection, and a willingness to acknowledge ourselves within the research process. As a queer and transgender student, I knew my final year project should represent what I find most meaningful, and that starts with sexual healthcare. My lived experience with sexual health services, as well as those close to me, made it abundantly clear that there are systemic challenges within these institutions. Recognising this injustice motivated me to use my research to explore healthcare inequality and promote real-world change for my community. I set about interviewing participants to hear their experiences with these services and, hopefully, to find common narratives among them. Of course, at the time, I had no idea that this work would grow into something far greater than I had anticipated.
After six months of intensive research and late-night writing, my dissertation was finally complete. Bearing witness to the participants' stories was a huge privilege and - as an insider researcher - it was also deeply moving to be able to share them as part of my undergraduate degree. When my supervisor, Dr Lauren Smith, encouraged me to submit my work for the BPS POWES Undergraduate Award, I thought it was a long shot. But I realised that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking this chance. The possibility of sharing my participants’ voices was reason enough to apply. With that being said, I did not genuinely expect to receive the award; I was just proud to share a project that meant so much to me. Then everything changed with the judges’ email. Suddenly, the project I had privately poured six months of my life into was being publicly recognised by the leading body in feminist research. Now, I had to pack my bags for the annual conference, preparing to take the biggest and most terrifying step of my academic journey so far.
Presenting at the conference
Receiving a prestigious award and being invited to present your research at an academic conference was an unbelievable honour; yet, I was absolutely terrified. To clarify – I was not scared of presenting the research itself. I knew that the participants’ bravery and generosity during data collection would make a powerful presentation. I feared suddenly being out of my depth, entering an environment that was totally unfamiliar to me. I wanted to do both myself and my participants justice in a place where their stories mattered most. I rehearsed my presentation all the way during my 3-hour train ride to Horsham. Nevertheless, I knew that I was entering a world beyond my own experience and needed to approach it with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to grow.
Presenting my research was a bizarre feeling at first; sharing something so vulnerable and personal with a sea of unfamiliar faces in front of me. Yet, holding the attention of a room full of researchers whose work I had admired from afar for so long, while sharing research that felt both timely and impactful, was an incredibly emotional experience. Here I was doing exactly what I had set out to do: telling the story of health inequality within sexual health services to an audience that could help turn research into change. In that moment, I realised that this research had become bigger than my dissertation; it was creating space for conversations that too often go unheard within mainstream psychology. A conversation which would have also gone unheard if I had listened to the voice of self-doubt and not trusted in the importance of amplifying queer and transgender voices. Their voices gave me the strength to speak up for healthcare justice and the confidence to be visible within academic spaces.
While presenting was a truly unforgettable moment, the conference offered so much more than a platform for my own work. It introduced me to a community of feminist researchers who challenged my thinking and inspired me in ways I had not anticipated. Hearing work from other researchers expanded my understanding of psychology and was genuinely transformative. I found it especially insightful to take part in discussions in areas of feminist psychology that were previously unfamiliar to me. What an honour it is to be reminded that learning never stops. I left the conference feeling refreshed and more motivated than ever to continue asking difficult questions.
Key lessons
Looking back, this experience has been an invaluable opportunity for learning – not only about research, but about myself and my place within it. In truth, research is never done in isolation. We, as researchers, are part of a much larger community. Our growth comes from embracing these opportunities, regardless of any niggling self-doubt, and trusting in the guidance of those around us. I would not have submitted my work if not for the encouragement of my supervisor, and I would not have remained open to the lessons I learned during the conference if not for the support of the conference committee. It is through these connections that we continue learning, shaping the world around us, and becoming the change that we want to see.
Next steps
Throughout this experience, and because of the support I have received during my undergraduate degree, my commitment has strengthened to continue this work. In September 2026, I will begin my Master’s degree in Health Psychology at Leeds Beckett University, where I hope to continue developing as a researcher and build upon the knowledge gained during my undergraduate dissertation. Further down the line, my goal is to pursue a PhD and continue research that centres queer and transgender voices, although I know there is still much I am yet to learn. Whatever comes next, I am grateful to have found joy in challenging myself, and to have met so many wonderful people along the way.
