Alexzandria Simon

How do you envision your research having a real-world impact that will promote health?

The experiences and lives of the LGBTQ community are essential to understanding any history, and the medical experiences of LGBTQ individuals will only add to the growing queer narrative. I want to examine the connection between medicine, science, and the queer community. I want to understand how American medicine shaped and impacted queer lives, and the role science played in shaping gender and sexual identity.

What are your future professional aspirations?

Through this research, my main goal is to create more inclusive spaces in scholarship and academia. When I came out in college, my understanding of history shifted dramatically. I sought out histories and stories that included voices like mine and often found little. Medical history in connection with LGBTQ history will shape how many understand the American narrative.