Table 3.
Recommendations for Gender Questions
| Section of gender-related questions | Recommendations |
|---|---|
| 1. Instructions or disclaimers: | • Researchers should state why they are asking about gender in their specific study. |
| • Provide definitions that may be needed for interpretation of the question/response options • Provide any disclaimers about choices in wording (e.g., if the survey is just for TGD individuals and there is a response option of “man” researchers can explain that this survey is only for TGD people so they did not include the prefix of cis- or cisgender) • Indicate to participants whether a check-all format or a forced choice format is used in the items. | |
| 2. Question about gender | Option 1: “Which of the following labels best describes your current gender identity?” Possible response options: • Exhaustive list of identities, including cisgender and transgender specific prefixes and labels (see Tables 1 and 2 for some options that could be included), as well as the option of “Not listed” (with a write-in option to specify) • Brief list of identities for studies that include cisgender and TGD individuals: Transgender Woman, Transgender Man, Cisgender Woman, Cisgender Man, Genderqueer, Non-binary, Agender, Not listed (with a write-in option to specify) • Brief list of identities for studies that only include TGD individuals: Transgender Woman, Transgender Man, Woman, Man, Genderqueer, Non-binary, Agender, Not listed (with a write-in option to specify) • Always include the option “Prefer not to answer” • Future research should examine response options such as “woman of transgender experience” and “man of transgender experience” and similar types of response options Option 1 follow-up question: • If researchers provided an extensive list of options and a check-all format, this could be followed by a second question that asks TGD participants to self-select into a fewer number of categories to assist with subcategory designation. For instance, in addition to a check-all question with extensive options, researchers could ask: “Recognizing that these are limited options, which of the following categories best describes your current gender identity (please choose one): Trans Woman, Trans Man, Non-binary, I do not feel that my identity fits into one of these categories” Option 2: “What is your gender identity?” with an open-ended response format. Follow-up prompt: “Above you provided your gender identity. To assist us with properly classifying participants, please choose the gender identity label that you feel most closely fits for you.” Response options: I am transgender; I am not transgender; Prefer not to answer Option 2 follow-up questions: • For participants who indicate that they are not transgender: “Which of the following best describes your gender?” with the following response options: Woman, Man, Prefer not to answer • For participants who indicate they are transgender: “Which of the following best describes your gender?” with the following response options: Trans Woman, Trans Man, Woman, Man, Non-binary, Genderqueer, Agender, Not listed (with write-in option), Prefer not to answer • These response options could be shortened to other possible combinations as outlined above |
| 3. Question about either sex assigned at birth or identification as TGD | Option 1: “What sex were you assigned at birth?” Response options: Male Assigned at Birth; Female Assigned at Birth; Intersex Option 2: “I am”: Response options: Cisgender, Transgender, Prefer not to answer Option 3: “Do you identify as transgender?” Response options: Yes, No, Unsure, Prefer not to answer Additional question: “Do you identify as intersex or as having a difference of sex development?” Response options: Yes, No, Unsure, Prefer not to answer |
TGD, transgender and gender diverse.