Know a trans/women's rights activist?

[whatnow41]

Yes, yes I do! But is this research looking for people from two different groups with opposing views? Or are they looking for only people who support trans and women's rights? Can they even be grouped together like that?

Here's the text of the invite to participate in the research. I hope I get picked!!

Our client is looking to people who are part of the transgender community and people raising awareness about women's rights to take part in paid interviews in October/November. These are 60-minute online sessions and, for their time, all participants will receive £45.
If you are able to refer someone, and they go on to take part, you will receive £20 as a thank you for your help.
If you know someone who might be interested, get them to apply using this link: https://bit.ly/3iRTkjTT*

Well that's confusing

For £45 I’m a trans-whatever.

Well that's poorly written, but I would assume they want (different) people from the two opposing view points.

When I applied to take part they asked if I consider myself to be a trans ally and why. I get the distinct impression this is TRA backed research. I'd be very interested to take part, as I consider myself a supporter of women's rights.

There’s no fucking way that I’d be handling over my personal information to that! Imagine how shit they could make your life, if you give the ‘wrong’ answers?

@ForeverBubblegum

Well that's poorly written, but I would assume they want (different) people from the two opposing view points.

I read it this way too.

Are the 'women's rights' possibly meaning those of the trans woman?

@SpartacusAutisticus

That's very poor research participant recruitment, no info about who's conducting the research, asking for personal data with no info about data safety, very dodgy.

I think People for Research are recruiting research participants on behalf of another organisation. Lots of market research companies do this. If you want to eg compare groups of people in different parts of the country, it can make sense to use a local company which will have better links to potential participants.

As SpartacusAutisticus says, I'm not sure how an ethics committee would view this. The outsourced company would need to sign a confidentiality agreement about the data they collect and comply with GDPR in terms of data protection. Ethics committees also (rightly) have stricter rules about research about sensitive topics or with vulnerable people. This makes me wonder if the research is for an organisation that does not have to go through an ethics committee, especially because I would expect potential participants to have been given information about who is funding and undertaking the research before they needed to pass on any personal details.

£45 is a good rate for an interview. I only clicked on the link in the first post so this is the extent of my knowledge!

Can you id as a trans woman. If a male can id as a female, surely a woman can id as a trans woman. Get someone who ids as a trans woman. They would be so phobic to say women are not transwomen. WATW!

Totally agree SpartacusAutisticus. It's one reason why I think the research has not gone before an ethics committee as they would want to see recruitment flyers/posters and information sheets.

Wot no ethics ?

Ethics committee wouldn't be required for commercial market research (rather than academic research) - although it is governed by the MRS (market research society) code of conduct (which usually requires you to let the participant know who the client is at recruitment stage). Certainly more market research is very conscious of GDPR rules at recruitment stage: I'd expect clarity on who is holding data; how long they will hold it for; confirmation of DP rights etc.

However...

1. This is billed as 'user research' (which is to do with digital development: eg testing a website for usability) and lots of user research agencies don't actually sign up to MRS codes: it's a bit wild west imo. Obv data protection/GDPR still absolutely apply though.
2. Its clearly expected that anyone hitting that form has been 'referred' - it may be that this info was circulated as part of that initial email?

Either way it's intriguing!