A University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) professor runs a research project that investigates “lived Transgender experiences.” That project, run by Dr. Nomi Ostrander, is called the Transgender Health and Intimacy in Community Collaborations (THICC) Lab.
An associate professor at UMD, Ostrander uses she/they pronouns and is a department head at the school’s College of Education and Human Services Professions. Ostrander also works as a “a sex and kink-positive therapist largely serving Trans, nonbinary, and queer individuals and their partners.”
At the “THICC lab,” Ostrander’s research “utilizes a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches, often focusing on qualitative research that allows for a robust understanding of lived Transgender experiences.”
Current research projects include “the lived experiences of couples that remain intact after one partner transitions” and “individuals’ sexual debuts since beginning their transition.” Another project about “gender-affirming health care provider stress” is “enrolling soon.”
The THICC Lab has published two studies this year and notes that “opportunities exist for both undergraduate and graduate students who have interests in Transgender issues specifically, and queer topics generally.”
In a statement to Alpha News, UMD said the lab is Ostrander’s research project and was created in 2023. A UMD spokesperson said the lab “is not a university endeavor, and it does not receive any university funding. There are currently no students involved in the lab.”
“The University of Minnesota is steadfast in its commitment to academic freedom, which allows faculty to explore all avenues of scholarship, research, and creative expression, and to speak, write, and publish their results,” added the spokesperson.
Similarly, Ostrander told Alpha News that the THICC Lab receives no funding from the university or other sources. The professor explained that “the lab is more of a private research project. The focus and efforts flow from my research agenda.”
Explaining further, Ostrander said, “running the lab isn’t necessarily part of my duties as a professor, but we all have research requirements as part of our work. The lab reflects my research agenda, but I am not paid anything extra to run it.”
When asked about the purpose of the research project, Ostrander said “the lab celebrates intersectional Trans Joy through explorations of health and sexuality.”
Across its five campuses, the University of Minnesota has an annual budget of more than $5 billion. That funding comes from a variety of places including tuition fees, grants, and taxpayer dollars from Minnesota state government and the federal government.
In recent years, university spending has increased dramatically. Just six years ago, the University of Minnesota had a budget of roughly $4 billion.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
