The Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender (CTSG) brings together researchers from across the university who are working on themes related to sexuality, gender and transformative change.
We have a strong tradition of producing research with community partners locally and internationally to impact on policy and practice, working with local and national networks including, academics, professionals and charities. Our members have founded and developed services and projects that have made a profound difference to the lives of people in diverse communities.
Find out how to join us as a member, collaborator or student
This research area focuses on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and other sexual and gender subjectivities.
Our researchers explore the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people – homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and more - as well as LGBTQIA+ people’s experiences of more general challenges such as mental health and body image issues. We aim to tackle these challenges through the power of collaborative and partnership research.
Finally, we also sponsor and host research events focused on LGBTQIA+ communities including the global Lesbian Lives conference – the world’s largest and most established academic conference focused on Lesbian Studies.
Notable projects in this area include:
This research area focuses on the promotion of health and wellbeing and the prevention of illness within a context where health and social inequalities shape experiences of health and care for individuals, families and communities.
Our research explores what makes life liveable, in sickness and in health (mental and physical). It places a spotlight on policy, practices and service delivery and re-design to develop understandings of the context and experiences of citizens and health and care service-users.
The Everywhere Project was a two-year pilot project co-funded by the European Commission’s Public Health Programme and led by Dr Nigel Sherriff from the Centre for Health Research at the University of Brighton.
This research area focuses on exploring the systemic and structural forces that maintain unequal gendered power dynamics within society and how this is experienced.
Our research draws on feminism, work on men/masculinities, and trans and non-binary scholarship. It examines gendered marginalisation and experiences in sport and physical exercise, body image, martial arts, photography, alcohol use, gender-based violence, healthcare and more.
Our work also emphasises the role of intersectionality in understanding how gender interacts with ‘race’, ethnicity, social class, age, and disability in uniquely shaping people’s lives. Through our research, we aim to create space and give voice to underrepresented populations, tackle existing barriers that reinforce exclusion and discrimination, and challenge dominant discourses and epistemologies.
Details of research publications and other outputs fostered by the centre and achieved by its members, along with funded projects delivered by the centre, can be accessed on the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender's database of research.
Visit our institutional record of publications and projects
McGlynn, N. (PI), Wright, L. (CoI), James, P. (CoI) & Wasdin, G. (CoI)
BA/Leverhulme
1/05/25 → 31/10/26
Project: Charities
Sherriff, N. (PI), McGlynn, N. (CoI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Barras, A. (CoI) & Zeeman, L. (PI)
Nagoya University
15/02/25 → 15/02/26
Project: EU / International
Esculapio, A. (PI)
The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation
10/02/25 → 31/07/25
Jenzen, O. (PI), Barras, A. (CoI), Pearce, R. (CoI) & Reed, L. (CoI)
Arts and Humanities Research Council
1/08/24 → 31/07/26
Project: Research Councils / Government Depts.
Zeeman, L. (CoPI), Sawyer, A. (CoPI), Johnson, H. (CoI) & Sherriff, N. (CoI)
15/04/24 → 14/10/25
Sherriff, N. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Kennedy, S. (CoI), Kehoe, S. (CoI), Murtagh, S. (CoI), Huber, J. (CoI), Johnson, H. (CoI) & Galvin, K. (CoI)
East Sussex County Council
1/04/24 → 2/06/25
Project: Public Sector
Selman, L. (PI), Mezes, B. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Sherriff, N. (CoI), Klein, U. (CoI), Forbes, L. (CoI), Hotham, S. (CoI), Salami-Oru, T. (CoI), Buttery, L. (CoI), Malpass, A. (CoI), Matthews, F. (CoI), Kara, B. (CoI), Pollock, H. (CoI), Wickham, S. (CoI), Flowers, S. (CoI), Albury, L. (CoI), Bancroft, A. (CoI), Gustar, B. (CoI), Moss, D. (CoI), Wheelock, H. (CoI), Fortier, J. P. (CoI), O’Driscoll, N. (CoI), Catt, H. (CoI), Shearn, H. (CoI), Hutchinson, J. (CoI), Billington, J. (CoI), Mills, J. (CoI), Crowther, M. (CoI) & Hopkins, T. (CoI)
UKRI
1/02/24 → 31/01/27
Sherriff, N. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoPI) & Zeeman, L. (CoI)
1/09/23 → 31/01/24
Zeeman, L. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Bailey, L. (CoI) & Sherriff, N. (CoI)
28/02/23 → 30/11/23
Devenney, M. (PI), Kellond, J. (CoI), Primera Villamizar, G. (CoI), Connell, L. (CoI), Velickovic, V. (CoI), Jordan-Baker, C. (CoI), Vuković, M. (CoI), Bergman, E. (PI), Božić, Z. (CoI), Cha, K.-H. (CoI), Dakić, M. (CoI), Držaić, K. (CoI), Gawarecka, A. (CoI), Glavaš, Z. (CoI), Ivić, N. (CoI), Mackay, P. (CoI), Mizerkiewicz, T. (CoI), Perica, I. (PI), Peyroles, A. (CoI), Potok, M. (CoI), Prakash, S. (CoI), Štimec, M. P. (CoI), Schaub, C. (CoI), Stewart, P. (CoI), Talwar Windsor, T. (CoI) & Terzieva-Artemis, R. (CoI)
1/02/23 → 31/01/27
Sherriff, N. (PI), Aicken, C. (CoPI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Galvin, K. (CoI), Huber, J. (CoI), Llewellyn, C. (CoI) & Mirandola, M. (CoI)
Brighton and Hove City Council
3/01/23 → 30/06/24
Boden-Stuart, Z. (PI) & Ojeda Guemes, T. (PI)
Economic and Social Research Council
1/10/22 → 30/09/23
Bonner-Thompson, C. (PI) & Mcgregor, K. (CoI)
1/12/21 → 30/06/22
Project: Research
Zeeman, L. (PI), Sherriff, N. (CoI), Aranda, K. (CoI) & Meads, C. (CoI)
Drinkaware
1/10/21 → 30/04/22
Sherriff, N. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoI), Huber, J. (CoI), Vera, J. (CoI) & Williams, D. (CoI)
World Health Organisation
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Aicken, C. (PI), Gabb, J. (PI) & Lucassen, M. (CoI)
The Open University
1/12/20 → 30/06/21
Sherriff, N. (PI), Sawyer, A. (CoPI) & Thomas, J. (CoI)
1/10/20 → 30/04/21
Boden-Stuart, Z. (PI), McGlynn, N. (CoI), Jones, H. (CoI) & Smith, M. (CoI)
1/09/20 → 28/02/22
Havers, J. (PI), Jaspal, R. (PI), Tsekouras, G. (CoI), Figlioli, A. (CoI) & Marshall, N. (CoI)
ERDF
1/01/20 → 30/06/23
Huber, J. (PI), Sherriff, N. (CoI) & Sawyer, A. (CoI)
1/04/19 → 30/09/19
Project: Grant
McDermott, E. (PI), Henwood, F. (PI), Johnson, K. (CoI), Hughes, L. (CoI), Mateus, C. (PI) & Pryjmachuk, S. (CoI)
NIHR
1/01/19 → 31/12/21
Dean, T. (PI), Church, A. (CoI), Hart, A. (CoI) & Wolff, D. (CoI)
RCUK, UKRI
1/10/18 → 30/09/19
Newbury, D. (PI)
31/08/18 → 28/02/19
Harding, R. (PI), Bristowe, K. (CoI), Henwood, F. (PI) & Johnson, K. (CoI)
1/04/18 → 31/08/19
Sherriff, N. (PI) & Huber, J. (CoI)
EU CHAFEA
1/09/16 → 31/08/19
TEF Silver awarded for the quality of our teaching and student outcomes
We are in the top 4.3% of institutions globally, Center for World University Rankings 2025
Race Equality Charter Silver awarded for our pledge to advance representation, progression and success for minority ethnic staff and students
We are ranked 14th in Stonewall's top 100 employers for commitment to equality for LGBTQ+ staff and students
We were awarded Athena Swan Silver for advancement of gender equality, representation, progression and success for all
We are a Disability Confident employer, committed to ensuring opportunity for progression for all
Signed to the Disabled Student Commitment, an initiative to improve support for disabled students
EcoCampus Platinum accredited for our environmental sustainability, compliance and processes