Maya Chew
Academic and research departments
Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences.麻豆视频
My research project
Understanding the Life Course of Older Trans Women in MalaysiaThe LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia is often portrayed negatively given the political exertion for conformity to cisheteronormativity, i.e. subscription to traditional gender norms where sex, sexuality, and gender identities are perceived to be immutable. Consequently, persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly trans women, is widespread and often sensationalized in the media. Trans women, being highly visible, endure significant stigmatization and those those lacking the means to integrate into society experience significant societal discrimination.
This research draws from intersectionality and decolonial epistemologies in the understanding of non-normative gender identities and inequalities experiences within in different cultural contexts. Set against the backdrop of a complex and challenging Malaysian sociopolitical climate, the research delves into the questions of how we define normativity and how these definitions influence the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically trans women in the Global South through the case of Malaysia.
She is a Fellow of the Centre of Excellence on Ageing, a partner of the UN-affiliated Global Initiative on Ageing Foundation (GIA).
Maya is also a recipient of the 2024/25 ESRC IAA Commercialisation Fellowship, and supports Professor Amelia Hadfield in developing the 麻豆视频's Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE).
Supervisors
The LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia is often portrayed negatively given the political exertion for conformity to cisheteronormativity, i.e. subscription to traditional gender norms where sex, sexuality, and gender identities are perceived to be immutable. Consequently, persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly trans women, is widespread and often sensationalized in the media. Trans women, being highly visible, endure significant stigmatization and those those lacking the means to integrate into society experience significant societal discrimination.
This research draws from intersectionality and decolonial epistemologies in the understanding of non-normative gender identities and inequalities experiences within in different cultural contexts. Set against the backdrop of a complex and challenging Malaysian sociopolitical climate, the research delves into the questions of how we define normativity and how these definitions influence the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically trans women in the Global South through the case of Malaysia.
She is a Fellow of the Centre of Excellence on Ageing, a partner of the UN-affiliated Global Initiative on Ageing Foundation (GIA).
Maya is also a recipient of the 2024/25 ESRC IAA Commercialisation Fellowship, and supports Professor Amelia Hadfield in developing the 麻豆视频's Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE).
University roles and responsibilities
- Business Director, Centre for Britain and Europe
My qualifications
Affiliations and memberships
ResearchResearch interests
- Gender
- Queer Studies
- Cultural Gerontology
- Postcolonialism
- Politics
- Social Policy
Research projects
'Unseen Surrey: An Exploratory Overview of the NEETs Crisis鈥 is a cutting-edge report, commissioned by Peter Cluff, the brand-new High Sheriff of Surrey, to explore the critical challenges that lead young people (specifically between the ages of 16-18) to become 鈥榥ot in education, employment or training鈥, the risk factors that lead to these NEET outcomes.
The project was commissioned by the Surrey County Council with the aim to drive economic development of the county through cross-sector collaboration.
A review of the Surrey Food Supply Chain and relevant stakeholders, i.e. farmers, sellers, and local government policy. Collaborative project with MHA Bakertilly for the Rural Policy Group (RPG).
Research interests
- Gender
- Queer Studies
- Cultural Gerontology
- Postcolonialism
- Politics
- Social Policy
Research projects
'Unseen Surrey: An Exploratory Overview of the NEETs Crisis鈥 is a cutting-edge report, commissioned by Peter Cluff, the brand-new High Sheriff of Surrey, to explore the critical challenges that lead young people (specifically between the ages of 16-18) to become 鈥榥ot in education, employment or training鈥, the risk factors that lead to these NEET outcomes.
The project was commissioned by the Surrey County Council with the aim to drive economic development of the county through cross-sector collaboration.
A review of the Surrey Food Supply Chain and relevant stakeholders, i.e. farmers, sellers, and local government policy. Collaborative project with MHA Bakertilly for the Rural Policy Group (RPG).
Sustainable development goals
My research interests are related to the following:
Publications
Additional publications
- Chew, M. and King, A. (2025 - forthcoming) Queering Cultural Gerontology, in Twigg, J., & Martin, W. (Eds.) Routledge Handbook of Cultural Gerontology (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Chew, M. (2025) 'Reconceptualising Gender Expressions of Older Trans Women in Malaysia', at the , 31 March-3 April 2025, Lorentz Center at Universiteit Leiden, the Netherlands.
- Chew, M. (2024) 'Life course of Ageing Trans women: Sociohistorical Influence in later Life', at the Health and Social Needs of the Gender Diverse Conference, 9-10 November 2024, Penang, Malaysia.
- Chew, M. (2024) Trans Ageing in Malaysia: Navigating Challenges in Later Life, , 30 Sep-1 Oct, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal.
- Chew, M. (2024) 'Disparities of Ageing Trans Women in the Global South: The Malaysian Context', at the symposium panel on Not Just for the Queers: The Salience of Research on LGBTQ+ Ageing for Generalist Gerontology and Geriatrics, and Transforming the World, , 14-17 June, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm.
- Chew, M. (2023) Ageing Trans Identities: Understanding the Life Course of Older Malaysian Trans Women. Zenodo.
- Coffman, J., Chew, M., Tweedie, R., Hadlock, A. (2016) . Kuala Lumpur: MACEE.