Work With the LGBTQIA2SP+ Community
Hello! Welcome to my website. I am a researcher doing studies of transgender, intersex, nonbinary, and other gender nonconforming individuals as part of a PhD in Sports and Recreation through the University of Wolverhampton (United Kingdom). My goal is to document the lived experiences of gender diverse athletes and dancers living in the United States, where multiple federal, state, and local regulations restrict participation in athletics and gender-affirming medical care.
I am hoping that in-depth interviews will provide a better understanding of the physical, mental, social, and emotional harm that may be caused by anti-trans legislation, which could (and has) had a ripple effect among those in the community who do not fit into today’s societal gender norms.
But why? Why am I doing this research? I believe in the right of all individuals to participate in sports and dance, at whatever level of recreational enjoyment or international competition suits their abilities and interests. As a moral issue, rights and justice are at the heart of what I do. People have a right to their own identities, and to reap the benefits of full participation in sports and dance. It is unfair, in my opinion, to deny anyone those benefits based on their gender identity.
My first publication on this issue was a chapter about a transgender MMA fighter, Fallon Fox, which appeared in a book called The Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts: Squaring the Octagon (Routledge, 2022). Previous to that, I had been working with a transgender athlete who came out to me while an undergraduate student in my History and Philosophy of Physical Education and Sport class during the COVID pandemic. Together, we crafted a webinar sharing the issues facing transgender athletes, with a particular focus on New York State higher education.
I followed that webinar with a session at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport, where I discussed the legal challenges facing the trans athlete community across the country, as well as the origins of the anti-trans laws being passed, within an ethical framework.
Since 2013, I have attended, worked on, and served as a committee member for the State University of New York at Cortland’s annual TransAction conference. I took a vanload of LGBTQ+ students from that institution’s Pride club to New York City to learn about Stonewall and their LGBTQ+ history. I volunteer with the Ithaca Pride Alliance, am a member of SUNY Cortland’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression committee, and serve on the United University Professions’ statewide Gender and Sexual Interests Committee. In 2026, I was a volunteer at the Trans Community of New England (TCNE) First Event in Boston.
I was the DEI Chair for my local union chapter at Cortland and have received DEISJ training from the State University of New York, qualifying as an educator with distinction in that area. I currently serve on the DEIB committee of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport. I am a certified Mental Health First Aid responder, and am certified by Athlete Ally through their Champions of Inclusion – Athletic Staff Curriculum.
I am hoping that in-depth interviews will provide a better understanding of the physical, mental, social, and emotional harm that may be caused by anti-trans legislation, which could (and has) had a ripple effect among those in the community who do not fit into today’s societal gender norms.
But why? Why am I doing this research? I believe in the right of all individuals to participate in sports and dance, at whatever level of recreational enjoyment or international competition suits their abilities and interests. As a moral issue, rights and justice are at the heart of what I do. People have a right to their own identities, and to reap the benefits of full participation in sports and dance. It is unfair, in my opinion, to deny anyone those benefits based on their gender identity.
My first publication on this issue was a chapter about a transgender MMA fighter, Fallon Fox, which appeared in a book called The Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts: Squaring the Octagon (Routledge, 2022). Previous to that, I had been working with a transgender athlete who came out to me while an undergraduate student in my History and Philosophy of Physical Education and Sport class during the COVID pandemic. Together, we crafted a webinar sharing the issues facing transgender athletes, with a particular focus on New York State higher education.
I followed that webinar with a session at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport, where I discussed the legal challenges facing the trans athlete community across the country, as well as the origins of the anti-trans laws being passed, within an ethical framework.
Since 2013, I have attended, worked on, and served as a committee member for the State University of New York at Cortland’s annual TransAction conference. I took a vanload of LGBTQ+ students from that institution’s Pride club to New York City to learn about Stonewall and their LGBTQ+ history. I volunteer with the Ithaca Pride Alliance, am a member of SUNY Cortland’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression committee, and serve on the United University Professions’ statewide Gender and Sexual Interests Committee. In 2026, I was a volunteer at the Trans Community of New England (TCNE) First Event in Boston.
I was the DEI Chair for my local union chapter at Cortland and have received DEISJ training from the State University of New York, qualifying as an educator with distinction in that area. I currently serve on the DEIB committee of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport. I am a certified Mental Health First Aid responder, and am certified by Athlete Ally through their Champions of Inclusion – Athletic Staff Curriculum.
