“The power of the poem”: using poetic inquiry to explore trans-identities in Namibia

ABSTRACT

Researchers exploring sensitive topics need to identify appropriate methodologies to encourage open expression. We used poetic inquiry to explore the lived realities of transwomen in Namibia, a socially marginalised group globally. We conducted two focus group discussions with 15 transwomen and developed found poems. The poems captured issues of identity and belonging and illustrated the transwomen’s journeys of self-acceptance, experiences of violence, rejection, agency and relationships. In order to enhance participant voice and enrich the poems, they were shared with some transwomen in a feedback and reflection session. This article unpacks this collaborative poetics approach. We share selected poems, explore their impact on participants, and discuss how this engagement with the poetry allowed for deeper discussion of participants’ experiences. The collaboration around the poems allowed researchers and participants to find new ways to explore and address issues of discrimination and marginalization, and to actively engage larger and more diverse audiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Poetic inquiry
• research poems
• found poems
• collaborative poetics
• transwomen
• sexual orientation
• gender identity and expression (SOGIE)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Pseudonym

Additional information

Funding

Funded by Evidence for HIV Prevention in Southern Africa (EHPSA), a UK aid programme managed by Mott MacDonald.