As the new Editor-in-Chief, I am very excited to introduce this first, combined issue. Since taking up my role in the summer, I have been privileged to read the many manuscripts submitted to the International Journal of Transgenderism and to witness firsthand the quality and variety of research in our field. I am thankful for inheriting the fine legacy of an international journal that is well established and the official journal of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH). My special thanks go out to my esteemed colleague and friend professor Walter Bockting under whose editorship the International Journal of Transgenderism has become what it is today. Thank you, Walter. We share not only the same name and country of birth but also a deep affinity with the field of transgender health and well-being (in the broadest sense of these words). Walter will stay on until January 1, 2017, to ensure a smooth transition of editorial responsibilities and to act as an editorial oracle, if you like, pertaining specifically to this journal.
The International Journal of Transgenderism has already published a wide range of peer-reviewed original research (qualitative as well as quantitative), clinical reports, commentaries, policy statements, and reviews from various disciplines, including public health, medicine, psychology, social work, anthropology, sociology, law, and gender and sexuality studies. Some of these works have become landmark publications, including the Standards of Care. I look forward to taking such legacy into the future.
In this editorial I want to briefly share my vision for the future for the International Journal of Transgenderism. Although this journal was a pioneer and the first one in the field, there are now other journals too, such as Transgender Health and LGBT Health under the formidable editorship of Robert Garofalo and William Byne, respectively, which likewise publish high quality research papers in our field. Moreover, many other journals such as the Archives of Sexual Behavior, the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the Journal of Homosexuality, Sexual and Relationship Therapy, regularly publish papers regarding transgender (health and well-being) issues. All these journals and many others have an impact factor; the vast majority are included in MedLine and/or PubMed, thus increasing their visibility and the citation rate of articles published. The International Journal of Transgenderism does not have an impact factor (yet), nor is it listed in MedLine or PubMed. This is a great disadvantage, which needs to be remedied. Without these hallmarks of academic esteem and increased global exposure, many authors are less likely to choose the International Journal of Transgenderism to submit papers for publication. You may have noticed that it has been particularly difficult this year to publish four full issues of our journal.
In order to qualify for an impact factor and MedLine/PubMed inclusion, our journal needs to publish full issues (120 pages per issue) with high quality (research) papers four times a year and on time—for starters. Publications will need to be cited too, as a marker of relevance in our field.
Another issue is the title of our journal. Language in our field is important; and language continues to evolve, especially in our field. Many would argue that the name of our journal is obsolete and outdated at best, and perhaps even offensive at worst. The issue of the name of the International Journal of Transgenderism was also raised at the membership meeting of WPATH in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, this year. There was general consensus that the name of our journal should change. I fully support this view and have discussed this issue with our publisher Taylor & Francis, who has promised to facilitate such a change.
Although the name of the journal has not changed (yet), there have been other changes. The Instruction for authors has been re-written, as has the journal's home page at Taylor & Francis (see http://www.tandfonline.com/wijt). An associate editorial board has been installed, which reflects a commitment to an international focus with members from Europe, the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. It is hoped that in due course other continents will be represented too.
We want the International Journal of Transgenderism to represent the full range of work that is being carried out on an international level within our discipline(s) to promote evidence based, cutting-edge practice and research and to stimulate ongoing debate on a variety of topical and sometimes controversial issues. We also want to publish one special issue per year, focusing on specific areas or aspects within our field.
But—we cannot do this alone. We need your help! In particular, we would like to ask you to consider the International Journal of Transgenderism when you are planning to submit a manuscript in our field. Whilst we cannot offer a high impact factor journal yet, we will provide high-quality expert reviews in a timely manner to facilitate the production process of your manuscript going to print. Moreover, WPATH as an organization is expanding, reaching out to all parts of the globe, with membership growing significantly. This can only benefit our journal, our readership, and those who choose to publish in it; it may also facilitate the goals set out for our journal—namely to acquire an impact factor and inclusion in MedLine and PubMed and, hence to have a global appeal.
We are looking forward to future submissions that contribute to making the official journal of WPATH a global player in our field—submissions that can evaluate and improve evidence-based practice in a variety of contexts and inspire practitioners and researchers alike. We would also like to encourage you to engage in the debates presented in this issue, in the commentaries section, and in any future debates. We welcome papers, commentaries, and letters responding to the issues presented and hope to create further opportunities for dialogue and growth in our field.
Finally, as our readership continues to grow, we move forward, valuing all the different perspectives from across the globe, which have already contributed to making this journal what it is—a helpful and stimulating tool for a wide variety of professionals and researchers working in this area.