GWSS major Peyton Coder's research was chosen as part of the Dare to Discover campaign. The Dare to Discover campaign showcases researchers, scholars, and creators from across the University of Iowa on banners throughout downtown Iowa City. The campaign is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Nominated by GWSS Prof. Mary Ann Rasmussen, Peyton's research focuses on how to bring Queer Theory into the mental health field when working with LGBTQ+ individuals, especially for transgender identifying folks. Peyton's research brings forward the gatekeeping methods and power dynamics that mental health providers often use which keep transgender folks away from resources, and it suggests key ways mental health providers can do better moving forward. In Peyton's words: " People within the LGBTQ+ community often do not have access to proper mental health services or have to wait long periods to receive these services. Mental health providers are often not properly trained to work with people in the LGBTQ+ community, which leads to a lot of stress and anxiety for both the provider and the client. The lack of proper services could lead to the worsening of LGBTQ+ mental health for generations."