Gender Identity and Transgender Resources
From Simmons Library Research Guides
We have selected these resources to help you find relevant information on your research topic. Please contact a librarian for help using the resources listed in this guide or for help with your research process.
Contents |
Reference and Background Information
Use the Simmons Eresource called [http://0-refuniv.odyssi.com.library.simmons.edu/ Reference Universe] to search for information about your topic in all of our Reference sources.
or, search for Reference sources that contain information about your specific research topic here:
You may also consult the resources below for overviews of the topic that you have chosen to research. Use these resources to help you to put your topic in context and give you the big picture of what information exists about your topic. These resources may have bibliographies at the end of each entry that can help further your research.
- Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender
Level 1 Reference HQ16 .E52 2007
The articles in this four-volume work explore the interconnections and differences between the concepts "sex" and "gender." It is intended as a work of general reference and is suited to all audiences, from the novice to the expert. Entries, covering topics such as Advertising, G.I. Joe and Virginia Woolf, range from one to several pages long, are cross-referenced and include extensive bibliographies. An alphabetical list of articles, author credentials and a thematic outline are included in volume 1. Volume 4 features an index.
- glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture
Free Online
This multifaceted website classifies itself as, "The largest Web site devoted to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (glbtq) education and culture and houses the largest, most comprehensive encyclopedia of glbtq culture in the world." Contains information on Literature, Arts, and Social Sciences. Entries contain hundreds of complementary illustrations. Furthermore, visitors are invited to join the encyclopedia's discussion board communities which are organized around specific subjects. glbtq, Inc. is a privately held company that was incorporated in 2000.
- International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE)
Free Online
The International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), founded in 1987, is a leading advocate and educational organization for promoting the the self-definition and free expression of individual gender identity. It is an American non-profit transgender advocacy organization devoted to "overcoming the intolerance of transvestitism and transsexualism brought about by widespread ignorance."
- International Handbook on Gender Roles
Level 1 Reference HQ1075 .I58 1993
This volume is a collection of essays by native authors about their country's gender roles. Organized alphabetically by country, each essay is broken up into sections corresponding to different life stages (childhood, adulthood, etc.) to better compare the differing circumstances of each gender at those times. Each entry also contains a list of relevant citations for further research, and other useful statistical guides or materials.
- National Transgender Library and Archives
Free Online
This site is a non-searchable indexed bibliography of transgender resources. Unfortunately, the site has not been updated since 2003, so most of the direct article links do not work, but the citations are certainly worth checking out.
- Psychology of Sexual Orientation, Behavior, and Identity
Level 1 Reference HQ16 .P79 1995
Includes essays on the history and psychology of human sexuality and gender identity.
- Rights of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People
Level 1 Reference KF4754.5.Z9 H86 2004
This book is designed to help illuminate the legal rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people. Each broad section--Sexual Orientation and the State, Civil Rights in the Private Sector, Families and Schools, and Specialized Issues--is further divided into subsections which present information in a question and answer format. Answers are presented in a clear, narrative format which is easy for a lay person to understand. Specific examples and legal precedents are cited.
- Transgender Law and Policy Institute
Free Online
Created by a transgender advocacy group, this site has updated information about the laws and policies that affect the transgender community, and provides legal and other resources for individuals or other advocacy groups.
- VoS Gender and Sexuality
Free Online
VoS stands for The Voice of the Shuttle and is a resource for anyone doing research on Gender and Sexuality. VoS is sponsored by the English Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It acts as a directory for finding reputable, free online resources related to gender and sexuality. There are sections that deal specifically with:
- The site is an index to encyclopedias, websites, teaching resources, journals and zines, and much more.
Day of Silence Resources
What is the Day of Silence®?
"The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a student-led day of action when concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies. This year’s Day of Silence will be held in memory of Lawrence King."
- Day of Silence: Official Webpage
Free Online
This site provides information about the Day of Silence, including its history, and resources for pulling together a local observation of the Day of Silence.
- GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network Homepage
Free Online
GLSEN, the founder of the Day of Silence, is a national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for ALL students. Its mission: "The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression."
- GLSEN's Day of Silence: The Freedom to Speak (Or Not), Common Questions, Answered by Lambda Legal
Free Online
This document is a list of FAQ's covering potential legal and procedural concerns of participants and schools related to the Day of Silence.
Finding Articles
Below are suggested databases and indexes for articles on the topic that you have chosen to research. These databases include articles from newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Articles are shorter and more narrowly focused than books or reference materials so you should use them after you have narrowed your topic.
- GenderWatch
Simmons Eresource
GenderWatch is a full text database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With its archival material, dating back to 1970 in some cases, GenderWatch is a repository of an important historical perspective on the evolution of the women's movement and the changes in gender roles. Publications include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, and NGO, government and special reports.
TIP: Click on the 'Continue' button to begin searching or choose one of the hyperlinks on the right for more information.
- LGBT Life
Simmons Eresource
The database includes comprehensive indexing and abstract coverage as well as a specialized LGBT Thesaurus containing over 6,400 terms. Full text content available includes The Advocate, Gay Parent Magazine, Girlfriends, GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian & Gay Studies, James White Review, ISNA News, Ladder, Lesbian Tide, New York Blade, ONE, Tangents, Washington Blade, and many more.
- AltPress-Watch
Simmons Eresource
Alt-PressWatch is a full text database of over 170 newspapers, magazines and journals of the alternative and independent press. It provides coverage, viewpoints and perspectives to complement and challenge the coverage of the mainstream media and serves a broad spectrum of subject areas including the arts, media and popular culture, business and labor studies, education, environmental studies and ecology, global studies, history, journalism, literary and critical studies, political science, government and public policy, social science and more.
- Alternative Press Index
Simmons Eresource
Provides international, interdisciplinary, and in-depth coverage of the humanities and social sciences from a non-mainstream point-of-view. Indexes nearly 300 alternative, radical and left periodicals, newspapers and magazines. Includes selected abstracts from research journals. Updated quarterly.
- Academic Search Complete
Simmons Eresource
Academic Search Complete is a great place to start your search for both popular and scholarly articles, no matter what your topic is! It contains journals from almost every topic and is designed specifically for academic institutions. It provides more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, 4,400 of which are peer-reviewed journals. This resource also features content as far back as 1865.
- Academic Onefile
Simmons Eresource
Academic Onefile contains 8,000 academic journals, the majority in full-text, available in HTML and PDF formats. In addition it contains hundreds of podcasts and transcripts from NPR, CNN, and the CBC.
- Expanded Academic ASAP
Simmons Eresource
From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images. Updated daily.
TIP: Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search!
- JSTOR
Simmons Eresource
JSTOR offers both multidisciplinary and discipline-specific collections. Provides full-text backfiles of many core scholarly journals, some dating back to the 1800s. However, JSTOR is not the database for current issues as it focuses on older journals.
- Project MUSE
Simmons Eresource
Offers nearly 250 quality journal titles from 40 scholarly publishers. As one of the academic community's primary electronic periodicals resources, Project MUSE covers the fields of literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, economics, and many others. Project MUSE is setting the standard for scholarly electronic journals in the humanities and social science.
Searching the Web
Simmons librarians have created a customized search engine that allows you
to find Gender Identity and Transgender information on the free web.
Use this Gender Identity and Transgender Google Custom Search Engine box to search all select, quality free web sites at the
same time:
You may also wish to go directly to, or bookmark, the Gender Identity and Transgender Google Custom Search Engine
Tips for Searching the Internet:
- Use the advanced search function, which is available from most search engines:
- Google - See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Ask - Click "Advanced." See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Live (MSN) - See also "Options"
- Exalead - See also "Exalead FAQ"
- Yahoo! Search
- Limit your search to .edu and .gov sites. These often provide quality research, statistics, and commentary. Sites ending in .org often have good information, too, but are likely to espouse a strong stance or bias on the issues they cover and may not be objective.
- Try Scandoo, which presents search results from Google, Yahoo! Search, or Live (MSN) with an evaluation about the objectivity, credibility, and overall reliability of the site.
- Consider using a directory of pre-screened, annotated sites:
Writing Style and Citation
For more information on style and citation for this discipline, please contact the Simmons College Writing Center
You may also consider consulting these resources:
- Writing Resources
Free Online
The Writing Center provides online resources for citing your research. If you are unsure of which citation style to use, consult your professor and consider the following:- Use APA (American Psychological Association) when your topic is in the Social Sciences
- Use ASA (American Sociological Association) when your topic is in Sociology
- Use MLA (Modern Language Association) when your topic is in the Humanities
- Use Chicago/Turabian when your topic is in Literature, History or the Arts
- Use CSE (Council of Science Editors) when your topic is in the Sciences
- RefWorks
Simmons Eresource
RefWorks is a great program for organizing articles, books, and other materials you need for research. You can also use RefWorks to create bibliographies, create in text citations in your paper (Write-N-Cite), and share your research with others. Access RefWorks from the A-Z list of resources on the library's web page, and then follow the instructions to create your own username and password. We hold RefWorks Clinics throughout the semester. For more information, ask a reference librarian
