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Writing survey questions to operationalise sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation in New Zealand: Perspectives from psychological and sociological research with the LGBTQ community
Overview
As academics engaged in research in the field of gender and sexuality, we are sensitised to the shifting terrain of gender and sexual identity and interested in developing ways to best record identities as part of quantitative surveys. In this research note we draw on empirical data from our research with the LGBTQ community to outline issues and possible solutions to record gender and sexual orientation. We argue that asking about gender identity and sexual orientation in surveys and in the census in particular would provide vital information about the demographics of groups in New Zealand (and Internationally) who are marginalised based on their gender identity and/or sexual orientation - at present we know little about these groups on a country-wide scale, and such information would prove useful in appropriate provision of health and social care services. We conclude by noting that although New Zealand and other countries do not yet have standard criteria for asking about gender identity or sexual orientation, standard criteria must be developed to further our society's understanding and celebration of the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations of the people who live in New Zealand, and abroad.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ) community includes a range of people who express what can be called 'nonnormative' gender identities and/or sexual orientations (see Clarke et al., 2010, for comprehensive details and also Treharne, 2011). We include 'queer' in the abbreviation to reflect the reclaimed use of the term by some people whose gender identity and/or sexual orientation is non-normative (see Clarke et al., 2010, and Otago University Students' Association, n.d.). In recent years, the abbreviation has been expanded to also include intersex people in particular (Clarke et al., 2010; see Human Rights Commission, n.d.).
Gender identities and sexual orientations that people have reported in our research
In two studies relating to gender identity and sexual orientation that we have carried out in New Zealand, participants living in Dunedin have listed a range of diverse identity labels. Both studies have been purposive in sampling LGBTQ individuals to find out about their experiences. In the...