Call for Trans People aged 50+ in Malta

[EN]

Tea Cekic is a student at the University of Malta, currently reading for a

Master’s in Gerontology and Geriatrics and presently conducting a research study for a

dissertation entitled Living as a Transgender Older Person in Malta; this is being supervised

by Prof. Marvin Formosa.

Should you identify as a transgender person and are aged 50 years

or above, I am inviting you to participate in this study. Below you will find all the information

related to the study and about your potential involvement and what would it entail, should

you decide to take part.

The aim of my study is to get a better insight of transgender older people and how do they

perceive their experience as citizens living in Malta. Your participation in this study would

help contribute to a better understanding of the challenges faced by this population, as well

as identify gaps and opportunities for more research amongst transgender older people.

Any data collected from this research will be used solely for purposes of this study.

The study in which you are being asked to participate is designed to explore the experience

of older individuals that identify themselves as transgender. Main purpose of this research is

to gain better understanding of old transgenders but also aims to allow participants to have

their voice in describing their actual experience.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked general questions about your experiences as a

transgender older person. Interviews will be audio recorded, however, only for later use by

researcher only. The voice recording will be stored in a password protected computer. Only

the researcher will have access to it. All voice recording and data gathered will be destroyed

once research study has been concluded.

The participant’s identity will be kept confidential. Furthermore, participants names will be

coded within the research in order to protect the real identity.

However, because of the size of the community at the centre of this study, certain

individuals or groups can make themselves identifiable in research and at times, participants

can actually identify themselves, even though their real names will not be used. Therefore,

prior to the interview, once again will be explained to you the potential risk of identifying in

this study despite all measures. After the sufficient information are given to you, you have

right to rethink and redecide whether to participate or not. It is very important for you to

understand what are the risks and the consequences as well as what are the benefits of

participating in this study. New consent form will be given to you to sign if you decide to

participate despite the risk.

Please note also that, as a participant, you have the right under the General Data Protection

Regulation (GDPR) and national legislation to access, rectify and where applicable ask for

the data concerning you to be erased. All data collected will be erased within 12 months

completion of the study, more precisely by the end of April 2023.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary; You are also free to withdraw from the study

at any time, without needing to provide any explanation and without any negative

repercussions for you. Should you choose to withdraw, any data collected from your

interview will be deleted.

Dear participant, everyone has their own story about life. Obstacles, but also a way to

overcome them, happy as well as sad moments are all part of one’s life cycle. I am

interested to hear your life story if you are interested in telling it. Participating in this study

you may not be able to change your past, but you may be able to influence the better future

of the younger generations.

The benefits of the study include voicing your thoughts and concerns on transgender and

aging from your point of view. What in your opinion should be improved / changed to

bridge the existing gap that limits the transgenders to live old age in dignity and equality?

Your participation does not entail any known or anticipated risks to your safety or wellbeing.

However, some questions may relate to the subjects that are sensitive in nature to the

participant him/herself and might further evoke an emotional response.

A copy of this information sheet is being provided for you to keep and for future reference.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail

tea.cekic.20@um.edu.mt; you can also contact my supervisor over the phone: 23403103 or

via email: marvin.formosa@um.edu.mt.

[MT]

Jiena Tea Cekic, studenta fl-Universita ta’ Malta, li bħalissa qed nagħmel Master’s fil- l-

Ġerontoloġija u Ġerjatrika. Bħala parti mill-istudji tiegħi qiegħda nagħmel riċerka bit-titlu

Living as a Transgender Older Person in Malta taħt is-superviżjoni tal-Profs. Marvin

Formosa.

Jekk inti persuna transgender u għandek 50 sena jew l’fuq minn hekk, inti qed tiġi

mistieden/na tipparteċipia f’dan l-studju. Hawn taht ukoll inti tista ssibl-informazzjoni kollha

relatata ma dan l-studju kif ukoll dettalji dwar l-involviment tiegħek jekk inti għandek il-

pjaċir li tkun parti minn dan l-studju.

Din ir-riċerka qed tara li tipprovdi aktar għarfien dwar l-esperjenzi ta anzjani trans ġewwa

Malta. Il-parteċipazzjoni tiegħek se tgħin sabiex inkomplu nifhmu dejjem aktar l-isfidi li qed

jiffaċċjaw dawn in-nies u se tikkontribwixxi ukoll sabiex jiġu identifikati in-nuqqasijiet li

jeżistu. L-informazzjoni kollha miġbura ser tintuża bis għal dan l-iskop u għal xejn aktar.

Dan l-istudju, appuntu, huwa intenzjonat li jesplora aktar u li jifhem l-esperjenza tal-anzjani

trans. Huwa intenzjonat ukoll li jikseb aktar għarfien dwar dan is-suġġett u ser jagħti wkoll

iċ-ċans li l-parteċipanti jesprimu l-opinjoni diretta tagħhom.

Jekk inti tiddeċiedi li taċċetta li tipparteċipa, ser tkun qed tiġi mitlub twieġeb mistoqsijiet

ġenerali dwar l-esperjenza tiegħek bħala anzjan/a trans. L-intervisti ser ikunu qed jiġu

rreokrdjati biex jiġu utilizzati aktar il-quddiem mir-riċerkatur. Kull kontenut ser ikun merfugħ

u protett permezz ta passwords li l-aċċess għalih ser ikun riservat biss għar-riċerkatur. Dan l-

istess kontenut ser ikun qed jiġi meqrud kompletament hekk kif jitlesta l-istudju kollu.

L-identita ta kull parteċipant se tkun qed tinżamm b’mod kunfidenzjali. Apparti dan, l-

ismijiet tal-istess parteċipanti ser ikunu qed jiġu kkodifikati u mgħottija fl-stadji kollha tar-

riċerka.

Minkejja dan, mhuwiex eskluż li – minħabba l-komunita’ ristretta fiċ-ċentru ta’ dan l-istudju -

ċertu parteċipanti jista’ jagħti l-każ li jirnexxielhom jidentifikaw lilhom infushom. Din il-

possibilita, għaldaqstant, ser tkun qed tiġi diskussa u spjegata wkoll fil-bidu ta’ kull intervista

li ser issir. Wara li inti jkollok din l-informazzjoni, inti għandek id-dritt li terġa taħsibha u

tiddeċiedi dwar il-partecipazzjoni tiegħek. Huwa importanti ferm li inti tkun informat dwar

ir-riskji u l-konsegwenzi kif ukoll dwar il-benefiċċji li inti tista’ tibbenefika minnhom ladarba

inti tiddeċiedi li tkun parti minn dan l-istudju. Eventwalment, meta inti tiddeċiedi li

tipparteċipa, formola oħra ta kunsens ser tkun qed tingħata lilek.

Nitolbok ukoll tinnota li bħala parteċipant, inti għandek d-drittijiet kollha taħt ir-

Regolamenti Ġenerali tal-Protezzjoni tad-Dejta (GDPR) kif ukoll taħt leġisliazzjonijiet lokali li

taċċessa u li fejn applikabbli timmodifika, dejta li tikkonċerna lilek. Tista’ wkoll titlob li din

id-dejta tiġi mħassra. Id-dejta kollha, appuntu, ser tkun qed tiġi mħassra fi żmien massimu

ta tnax-il xahar minn meta jitlesta l-istudju.

Kull parteċipazzjoni hija fuq bażi volontarja. Inti għandek iċ-ċans ukoll li tirtira minn dan l-

istudju fliema stadju trid, mingħajr ma tipprovdi l-ebda ġustifikazzjoni. F’dik l-eventwalita,

id-dejta kollha miġbura waqt l-intervista li tkun saritlek se tkun qed tiġi mħassra

immedjatament.

Għażiż/a parteċipant, jiena nemmen li kull persuna għandha l-istorja tagħha u li kull forma

ta’ ostaklu jista’ jingħeleb. Jekk inti interessat/a li tirrakkonta dak li inti għaddejt minnu,

jiena lesta li nisimgħek. Il-parteċipazzjoni tiegħek f’dan l-istudju mhijiex se tbiddel xejn mill-

passat, imma tista’ tagħmel differenza lil ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.

Permezz ta dan l-istudju inti għandek l-opportunita li ssemma leħnek. L-opinjoni tiegħek

dwar x’hemm bżonn isir jew jinbidel f’dan is-suġġett sabiex ikollna iktar ugwaljanza? Il-

parteċipazzjoni tiegħek ma tinvolvi l-ebda tip ta riskju, għalkemm ċertu mistoqsijiet jistgħu

jipprovokaw ċertu emozzjonijiet.

Kopja ta dan l-informazzjoni ser tkun qed tingħata lilek ukoll.

Jekk hemm xi ħaġa li mhijiex ċara jew jekk għandek xi mistoqsija, nitolbok tagħmel kuntatt

miegħi permezz tal-indirizz elettroniku tea.cekic.20@um.edu.mt . Tista wkoll tagħmel

kuntatt mal-Profs Formosa fuq in-numru tat-telefon: 23403103 jew permezz tal-indirizz

elettroniku marvin.formosa@um.edu.mt

Nirringrazzjak tal-ħin u l-kunsiderazzjoni tiegħek