Matthew Edwards – 2026 Lambda Foundation Scholarship in 2SLGBTQIA+ Studies Recipient (Graduate)
Matthew Edwards (he/they) is a PhD Candidate in the History Department at the University of Guelph.
A researcher whose academic work and community commitments are inseparable, Matthew brings to the Lambda Foundation Scholarship in 2SLGBTQIA+ Studies exactly the kind of engaged, rigorous scholarship the award was designed to support.
Research That Matters
Matthew’s dissertation traces how conversion practices circulated among healthcare practitioners in Canada during the 20th century, examining how credentials and scientific authority were leveraged in Ontarian and Québecois communities. It is painstaking historical work with urgent present-day relevance.
Their broader research interests reflect a scholar thinking deeply about power and knowledge, the history of psychiatry and medicine, 2SLGBTQIA+ activism in Canada, the circulation of scientific ideas, and the history of epistemological and pedagogical violence against marginalized communities.
Community Rooted in the Work
Matthew’s commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities extends beyond their dissertation. They serve as a board member for Conversion Therapy Survivors Connect, a non-profit dedicated to organizing peer-support and information services for survivors of conversion practices throughout Canada, bringing their historical expertise directly to bear on the lives of people affected by the very practices they study.
Matthew first learned of the Scholarship through their previous experience working in the role of Lambda’s Communications Assistant (Canada Summer Jobs Program, 2021) and through their graduate program, a connection that speaks to the kind of sustained relationships Lambda aims to build with the academic community.
Gratitude for Support
For Matthew, this scholarship represents meaningful recognition of research that sits at the intersection of historical inquiry and community healing.
“I would like to thank the volunteers and staff at Lambda for supporting my research with this generous grant,” Matthew shared. “Thank you so much for the support—it means the world.”
About the Lambda Foundation Scholarship in 2SLGBTQIA+ Studies, University of Guelph
The purpose of this award is to stimulate research on the topic of 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. The scholarship is based upon areas of research pertaining to the history, contributions, and issues by or about 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. Preference is given to applicants who are involved in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, as demonstrated through volunteer activities, civil society memberships, or related academic pursuits.
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P.S. Every story like Matthew’s is made possible by a community that believes in the importance of 2SLGBTQIA+ history and scholarship. By donating today, you help ensure that the next generation of researchers has the resources to do work that heals and illuminates.
Your support provides the foundation for 2SLGBTQIA+ and QTBIPOC students like Matthew to pursue research that changes how we understand our communities and ourselves.
