1. How do aspects of poverty affect the forms of information seeking used by
transgender people?
Introduction
Transgender (TG) people have barely been studied, with only a handful of articles
specific to their information needs, the rest are “LGBT” but focusing only on mainstream
gays and lesbians and practically ignoring everyone else. This is problematic because
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, 11% or more TG people
experienced housing instability, 15% (double the rate for the general population) lived on
less than $10,000/year, 47% experienced adverse job outcome, and 97% experienced
workplace mistreatment (2009).
Though data is scant, the information needs have been studied enough for a clear
image: medical, social, legal, and cosmetic needs (Adams, 2006; Horvath, 2011; Taylor,
2002). This study instead focuses on the search behavior of TG people and how poverty
affects it. To insure an accurate correlation all variables will be in regards to the past
year. This data will help determine how to best help the most vulnerable TG people.
Variables and Concept
Poverty level for this survey will be defined by is defined by housing instability,
job discrimination, low income, poor education, and social isolation. These are intended
as measurements of how much one is hindered from functioning on a social and
economic level, and assumes impoverished people seldom use the Internet for research
because they can’t afford it. Included in the above indicator list will be “None of the
Above” for anyone fortunate enough to escape poverty, “Other” for anything I missed,

2. “Don’t Know” for participants who are unsure of their status, and “Won’t Say” for
participants who want their poverty (or lack thereof) kept private.
Search behavior is how one fulfills information needs: asking friends, consulting
professionals, meeting with support groups, research in physical libraries (through books
or non-Internet text files inaccessible outside the library), or Web research (either at
work, a library, or through a personal computer). How a person searches effects what
they know and how they can be aided. This study will focus on finding correlations
between forms of poverty and methods of research rather than particular information
needs. Further attributes for search behavior will be “Other” for those unsure how to
answer and “Won’t Say” as a privacy-maintaining option in compliance with ethical
guidelines.
Transgender refers to the state of having a gender identity (male, female, both,
neither) different from one’s biological sex (male, female). Transgenderism is not the
same as homosexuality and is a different set of variables from sexuality (Johnson, 2010).
Mainstream culture perceives transgenderism as either transvestism or transsexuality.
While largely true this is still an oversimplification (Taylor, 2002; p.86).
Literature Review
Literature about transgender people outside of sex and health studies is scarce. A
simple search for [transgender information seeking] will get articles on sex, health, or
general LGBT concerns. This last one is especially problematic as transgender concerns
are practically unrepresented when lumped together in the LGBT umbrella. Taylor notes
that while “transgender” is included in LGBT because of its long association with the gay

3. community, “the primary thing transgenders and homosexuals have in common is that the
same people beat them up” (2002, p.86). The scholarly focus on sex, sexuality, and
sexually transmitted diseases runs parallel to how mainstream culture sexually fetishizes
transgender people, declaring them a de facto prostitute caste (de jure in some erotica,
though such is beyond the scope of this proposal).
To learn more about transgender individuals as people rather than sex objects this
proposal will review literature focusing on previous studies of search behaviors utilized
by transgender people. In particular, this research proposal was inspired by the flaws in
Targeting The Information Needs of Transgender Individuals (Taylor, 2002). The author
points out the relative lack of poverty among the participants, specifically the sample
being more white and educated than the national average. Due to the often self-imposed
invisibility of transgender people the study was forced to seek out explicitly transgender
groups who were easy to contact, specifically via online groups. The online nature of the
study made a strong preference for Internet resources more likely.
Information Search Behavior Among the Transgendered
While transgender information seeking has been studied, none of the research has
explicitly focused on finding correlations between poverty and search behavior. Also,
there appears to be little research into the search behavior of other impoverished groups
such as homeless parents and low-income blacks. This literature review will compare
studies of transgender information seeking with each other in chronological order. It will
then similarly review search behavior studies of other impoverished groups.

4. Targeting The Information Needs of Transgender Individuals (Taylor, 2002)
correlates search behavior to particular transgender demographics, transvestites and
transsexuals specifically. Transsexuals preferred biographies 3:1 (38.5% > 11.1%) over
transvestites, while transvestites preferred nonbiographical sources 2:1 (66.7% > 38.5%).
over transsexuals. Only 23.1% of transsexuals got information from therapists but no
transvestites did (p.91). Lastly, transvestites used search engines 3:1 (66.7% > 16.7%)
over transsexuals as post-op transsexuals have most of their information needs fulfilled.
Furthermore, the study also gives an expected baseline for the search behavior of
educated white male-to-females. Due to the previously mentioned sample bias, 82.2% of
participants used the Internet. Of other sources, 55.6% consulted friends and 46.7% went
to support groups. Books are difficult to determine, while 47% read non-biographical
books and 29% read autobiographies, “6 of the 13 most frequently read books were
autobiographical/biographical in nature (including the 2 most read books). Forty percent
of the 10 most recommended books were biographical in nature (including 2 of the top
3).” Of web sites, those with a named individual webmaster were preferred (p.91-92).
While Is There A Transgender Canon? (Adams & Peirce, 2006) does ask about
information sources, it makes no attempt to correlate them to anything, limiting such
inquiry to “Where did you get information on being transgendered? What has been
helpful and what has not?” Also, the study focuses on the participants’ pasts rather than
their present needs (p.3). Regardless, correlation between the status of the participants
and their information sources can be inferred. Almost everyone in the study was both
socially isolated and ignorant of where to begin searching. Almost as strong was favor
for the Internet as an information source, topping a list which included films, television,

5. support groups, and books. This list is in order of mention in the article, as the rankings
of other sources are left unmentioned (p.5-6).
An Assessment of The Information Needs of Transgender Communities in
Portland, Oregon (Beiriger & Jackson, 2007), however, does give a prioritized list of
preferred information sources according to specific need. This study, like Is There A
Transgender Canon?, also makes no attempt to find what correlates with particular
search behaviors. While no correlation can be discerned due to the nature of the study,
that same nature provides insight into a broad transgender demographic. Out of 99
participants the researchers found a broad age and ethnic range, with age tapering off
after 40-60 years and ethnicity matching that of the 2000 Census (p.50-51). Most useful
is the resource ranking, based on participants’ ratings of sources on a Likert Scale of
information sources for five different information needs. For all five information needs
the sources “Internet” and “friends” consistently made the top three. Except for physical
health and mental health information, where professional help was preferred, “support
groups” also made the top three. At the low end for health info and the midpoint for other
information needs is “public library,” deserving special mention for being the survey’s
focus (p.53-54). However, much of this data can be considered as biased as Taylor’s
survey above as much of the distribution was electronic (p.49).
The main overall trend of the above studies is that white, relatively affluent, male-
to-females greatly favor the Internet as an information source, with peer consultation
being a strong second. There has been only one study into an independent variable
affecting search behavior, specifically whether one’s a transvestite or transsexual. There
is a severe gap in the literature about what correlates to particular search behaviors.

6. Poverty and Search Behavior
Since the goal of this survey is to determine how particular aspects of poverty
affect search behavior it makes sense to review literature about how other impoverished
groups seek information. These studies will be compared to each other to find overall
trends, particularly any that differ with the above, transgender-specific studies.
In the study Information and poverty: Information-seeking channels used by
African American low-income households (Spink & Cole, 2001), a poor black community
was surveyed regarding its information sources for five needs (news, security, health,
education, employment). Personal connections rated high for all but education, and the
community’s dependence on personal connections may be an impediment. What’s most
compelling is that “two-thirds (66.8%) of the participants did not use libraries,
computers, or the Internet/Web to find information,” and no resident even used library
computers or communicated by email. Internet access, while underutilized, was still
considered desirable by the residents (p.50-54). Lack of Internet use but a desire to use it
indicates that poverty greatly affects search behavior.
Everyday information needs and information sources of homeless parents
(Hersberger, 2001) has similar findings regarding Internet use, or lack thereof. After a
year of establishing rapport at six family shelters the researchers interviewed the
participants about their information needs and sources. For the most part, sources were
social service providers, friends and family, and personal experience. Almost nobody
used the Internet, even at the public library. One user had a bachelor’s degree and the
other used the Internet to check her medical prescription (p.129-131, 133).

7. However, the Internet may not have been popular enough back then. According
to the more recent Information–Seeking and its Predictors in Low-Income Pregnant
Women (Shieh, McDaniel & Ke, 2009), the Internet was 5th in a list of eight information
sources (p.368). While this still shows that poverty is likely to impede Internet use, this
is far more than it’s non-existence as a source found in the two aforementioned studies.
The three studies on preferred information sources of impoverished groups shows
that poverty strongly affects use of the Internet as an information source, even for free
usage such as at public libraries. While two of the studies are over a decade old relative
to this research proposal the Internet was not obscure back then, and everyone expressed
a desire to use it even if they were unable to. Strong preference of peer groups as an
information source was not affected by poverty. Regarding specific poverty indicators,
poor education and homelessness strongly correlate with low Internet use while low
income by itself has moderate correlation.
Study Methodology
Study Population
The Study population will be transgender individuals local to the city of San
Francisco, specifically those found at social hubs or transgender-dense public areas.
Because of the study’s location limits it is expected to see a low number of participants
affirming the “socially isolated” poverty attribute.
Sampling Design
The study will proceed in the following manner. The head researcher will visit
transgender social hubs with a nonprofit focus, e.g., the San Francisco LGBT Community

8. Center, in order to get permission to conduct the study, as well as gather volunteers to
assist in administering the survey. The head researcher will then visit purely social
locales, e.g., Diva’s, and also solicit research permission and seek out assistants. Contact
information for nonprofits that have given permission to conduct research will be given
to establish legitimacy. The head researcher will also inquire about public areas with a
relatively high transgender population density for outdoor areas to administer surveys, as
well as the best times of day to find participants.
Research proxies will be instructed on proper etiquette for interacting with
transgender people. Proxies will foremost be told not to sexualize participants or talk to
them any differently than they would anybody else. Proxies will be told to read the cover
letter out loud and give participants the option of answering the questions themselves.
Proxies will be provided with a reference sheet of the operational definitions of every
question in the survey, as well as a brief role-play where they will practice answering
anticipated questions the participants may ask.
Once permission is established, the head researcher and any proxies will begin the
study at the designated survey locations. Each location will be stationed for no less than
one week, longer if there are proxies available and the locations are few.
Participants will be sought out from known transgender social hubs, this will be
done in person as online sampling will bias the study. The sampling will initially rely on
available subjects as the locations of transgender people are unknown and their chance of
appearing in the survey locations can be researched but not completely known. Also, the
initial samples will likely be chosen on a judgmental basis, the research beginning with
the most obvious crossdressers and transwomen. Snowball sampling will be required for

9. the study data to be as comprehensive as possible, with participants asked to inform their
transgender friends of the ongoing survey.
When a participant is selected, the researcher will read the cover letter (see
appendix) and personally administer the survey. The participant may check off answers
themselves or have the researcher do it. The participant will be asked to refer their
transgender friends and be given a list of survey locations with dates and times. When the
survey period is over the data will be compiled and analyzed via spreadsheet.
The study’s goal is raw data collection, needing maximum participation and
eliminating simple random sampling as a possibility. Population size and strata are
unknown so cluster, systemic, and stratified sampling methods are nonviable. I'm only
studying one population so PPS is irrelevant.
Data Collection Instruments
Data will be collected through a simple 1-page questionnaire (see appendix)
administered by one or more research assistants. The first section asks participants what
forms of poverty they’ve experienced, the second section asks them how they search for
information related to their needs as transgender people. Each question will have a check
box to be marked for ‘yes’ and left blank for ‘no’. Each section includes “other” for
answers the study neglected and “won’t say” as an opt-out, the poverty section includes
“none of the above” for participants who haven’t experienced poverty in the last year and
“don’t know” if the participant isn’t sure what s/he experienced. All surveys will have
unique numbers for ease of organization. The researchers will have signage clearly
indicating an ongoing study into how poverty affects the search behavior of transgender
people, in order to get the maximum number of participants and not simply rely on rudely

10. asking androgynous-appearing passers by to participate. Everyone administering the
survey will have a cover letter to read to the participants describing their rights. Below
are detailed explanations of the operational definitions of the poverty indicators and
search behaviors, as well as miscellaneous questions within the survey.
Poverty indicators
• Housing instability. The inability to be or feel settled in one location.
• Job discrimination. Defined as negative social interaction adversely affecting
job performance, from harassment to denial of work.
• Low income. Having little to no money to spend for anything beyond survival.
• Poor education. Little to no schooling beyond high school.
• Social isolation. Feeling alone in the world, as if one has no true friends.
• Other (please state). Any poverty attributes this study may miss.
The following are mutually exclusive with other answers.
• None of the above. Participant has not experienced poverty.
• Don’t know. Participant is unsure how to answer.
• Won’t say. Participant declines to answer.
Search behaviors
• Asking friends. Seeking transgender-related information from transgender peers.
• Consulting professionals. Asking doctor/psychiatrist/etc. for info
• Internet (library). Internet searching at a public or academic library.
• Internet (personal). Internet searching anywhere with personal computer/laptop.
• Internet (work/school). Internet searching with work or school computer.

11. • Library books/documents. Looking for books/documents at public library,
includes electronic text if unavailable elsewhere.
• Support groups. Seeking information while at transgender support groups.
• Other (please state). Any sources this study may miss.
• Won’t say. Participant declines to answer, mutually exclusive with other
answers.
Data Analysis Techniques.
The surveys will be entered into a spreadsheet, with each individual survey being
a row and each poverty attribute or search behavior a column. Each attribute of poverty
will have its own graph, showing the percentage of search behaviors per attribute.
Project Schedule
The entire study should take no longer than twelve weeks. The first two weeks of
the study will be contacting social hubs, asking permission to study, inquiring about ideal
study locations, and gathering volunteers. The next seven weeks will be when the data is
collected. In the week after that the data will be compiled and analyzed. In the final two
week the results and conclusion of the study will be written up.
Qualifications
Seen as sex objects by everyone, even researchers, transgender people will want
assurance that any study will treat them like human beings. Said assurance comes from
established legitimacy comes from official recognition by a trusted community center as
a legitimate researchers, as well as informal social ties within the transgender community.
The ideal researcher will be a college student working at a community center and on a
first-name basis with transgender individuals.

12. The use of proxies is especially important for me as I personally meet none of the
above qualifications. I also have to admit a less-than-academic interest in transgender
people of the sexualized sort I’ve come to criticize. However, awareness of my own bias
and knowledge of how not to approach participants should minimize impediments to
beginning research.
Significance of this Study
As established in the literature review above, no other study has looked into what
correlates with search behavior among transgender individuals. Results from this study
will establish a baseline for future research into what influences transgender information
seeking behavior, and the study’s simple format makes it easy to replicate in other areas
in order to determine how local influences affect search behavior. Also, knowing how
circumstances affect how transgender people look for information will provide librarians
wanting to plan educational workshops with an accurate idea of what skills will be most
useful. If a study of transgender people is going to be more than voyeurism in a lab coat
then it must provide data that can help the people being studied.
Summary
The information needs of transgender people have barely been studied, and how
they seek information even less. Also, the extant body of research may have sample bias
favoring the relatively educated and affluent. This study, a simple 1-page survey given to
participants in person, will seek to determine if particular forms of information seeking
correlate to particular forms of poverty. The results of this study will be used to aid
educators wanting to improve the information literacy of transgender people.

13. References
Adams, S., & Peirce,, K. (2006). Is there a transgender canon?: Information seeking and use in
the transgender community. Canadian Association of Information Science. Retrieved
from www.cais-acsi.ca/proceedings/2006/adams_2006.pdf
Hersberger,J. (2001). Everyday information needs and information sources of homeless parents.
The New Review of Information BehaviourResearch: Studies of Information Seeking in
Context,2,119-134. Retrieved from
http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/J_Hersberger_Everyday_2001.pdf
Horvath, K., Iantaffi, A.,Grey, J., & Bockting, W. (2011). A review of the content and format of
transgender- related webpages. Health Communication,1-10. Doi:
10.1080/10410236.2011.610256
Johnson, M. (2010). Transgender subject access:History and current practice. Cataloging &
Classification Quarterly, 48(8),661-683. doi: 10.1080/01639370903534398
National Center for Transgender Equality, (2009). National transgenderdiscrimination survey.
Retrieved from website: http://transequality.org/Resources/Trans_Discrim_Survey.pdf
Shieh, C., McDaniel, A.,& Ke, I. (2009). Information–seeking and its predictors in low-income
pregnant women. 54(5),364-372. doi: doi:10.1016/j.jmwh.2008.12.017
Spink, A.,& Cole, C. (2001). Information and poverty: Information-seeking channels used by
african american low-income households . Library & Information Science Research,
23(1),45-65. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0740-8188(00)00067-0
Taylor, J. (2002). Targeting the information needs of transgender individuals. Current Studiesin
Librarianship,26(2),85-109. WN: 0210504920008

14. Appendix 1: Cover Letter
Hello, we’re conducting a study of how particular forms of poverty affect the information
seeking behavior of transgender individuals. Data from this study will be used to help
librarians in making information literacy workshops for transgender people.
While there is no direct benefit for participating, there is no cost other than answering this
one-page questionnaire. It should take no more than a few minutes to finish, but you are
welcome to ask for clarification on anything. There is no risk in answering any questions,
only the researchers will have access to the answers and no identifying information will
be released or even asked for. This is a one-time survey and you won’t be contacted in
the future. You are always free to refuse participation.
Do you consent to participate in this study?

15. Appendix 2: Study Questionnaire
Which of these forms of poverty have you experienced in the past year?
[ ] Don’t want to say
[ ] Housing instability: forced to change homes or live without one
[ ] Job discrimination: harassed or denied advancement
[ ] Low income: having no money left over after survival needs
[ ] Poor education: high school diploma or less
[ ] Social isolation: not having anyone to relate to
[ ] Other: Please specify__________
[ ] None of the above
How do you search for information regarding transgender needs?
[ ] Don’t want to say
[ ] Asking friends
[ ] Consulting professionals: doctors, psychologists, lawyers, etc.
[ ] Internet (at library)
[ ] Internet (personal computer)
[ ] Internet (at work/school computer)
[ ] Library books/documents (unavailable via Internet)
[ ] Support groups
[ ] Other: Please specify__________