I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally. Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/ I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else? Thanks, sky.
A quick search of the US and UK census web pages shows these large reference agencies are not yet doing anything about it. Peter Timusk working in government statistics. -----Original Message----- From: Air-L [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of sky c Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 9:43 PM To: Air-L@listserv.aoir.org Subject: [Air-L] Gender and surveys I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally. Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/ I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else? Thanks, sky. _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
In my PhD three/four years ago I used radio buttons (male / female / trans*) plus a text box for anyone who felt they could not click one of the buttons. This was successful, in that some (about 2% IIRC) respondents used the text box. Now I mostly just use a text box, or don't ask for gender at all. Sarah Merry On 13 April 2016 at 02:43, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
I mainly use male, female, other and sometimes 'prefer not to say' depending on how important gender is to the research. With 'other', I usually have a text box for people to write in. I don't tend to use 'trans' as a separate term because many trans people identify as either male or female rather than 'other' or non-binary, and there are people who are non-binary but wouldn't necessarily call themselves trans. It depends on what your research involves-if you are working with trans or genderqueer communities specifically, you might want to have a selection of different identity options around that. -----Original Message----- From: Air-L [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Merry Sent: 13 April 2016 11:28 To: sky c; Air-L@listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-L] Gender and surveys In my PhD three/four years ago I used radio buttons (male / female / trans*) plus a text box for anyone who felt they could not click one of the buttons. This was successful, in that some (about 2% IIRC) respondents used the text box. Now I mostly just use a text box, or don't ask for gender at all. Sarah Merry On 13 April 2016 at 02:43, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
I'm cautious of using 'other', since it can be offensive to some people. Though it is difficult to know what to use in its place. I used 'trans*' with an asterisk because my reading at the time suggested it was the best option. I wouldn't use it now, because I think it is (or rather can be) problematic in itself. I tried to find some clear and straightforward guidance to the best way of asking for gender in research and couldn't. (My supervisors weren't much help because they couldn't really see past the binary.) Some students in my research methods classes have also mentioned it as a difficult issue, so it looks as though that this question is going to run and run. On 13 April 2016 at 13:46, Deller, Ruth A <R.A.Deller@shu.ac.uk> wrote:
I mainly use male, female, other and sometimes 'prefer not to say' depending on how important gender is to the research. With 'other', I usually have a text box for people to write in. I don't tend to use 'trans' as a separate term because many trans people identify as either male or female rather than 'other' or non-binary, and there are people who are non-binary but wouldn't necessarily call themselves trans. It depends on what your research involves-if you are working with trans or genderqueer communities specifically, you might want to have a selection of different identity options around that.
-----Original Message----- From: Air-L [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Merry Sent: 13 April 2016 11:28 To: sky c; Air-L@listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-L] Gender and surveys
In my PhD three/four years ago I used radio buttons (male / female / trans*) plus a text box for anyone who felt they could not click one of the buttons. This was successful, in that some (about 2% IIRC) respondents used the text box.
Now I mostly just use a text box, or don't ask for gender at all.
Sarah Merry
On 13 April 2016 at 02:43, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
In a recent online survey I ran about online feminist activism, I used female, male, non-binary, and prefer not to say. This received some positive feedback from an LGBTQI support group the survey was shared with. Preferred terminology is always subject to change though, so probably best to treat this as an open question. I would definitely avoid using 'other' though, as it's a literal othering of people's identities. On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 2:03 PM, Sarah Merry <skmerry@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm cautious of using 'other', since it can be offensive to some people. Though it is difficult to know what to use in its place.
I used 'trans*' with an asterisk because my reading at the time suggested it was the best option. I wouldn't use it now, because I think it is (or rather can be) problematic in itself.
I tried to find some clear and straightforward guidance to the best way of asking for gender in research and couldn't. (My supervisors weren't much help because they couldn't really see past the binary.)
Some students in my research methods classes have also mentioned it as a difficult issue, so it looks as though that this question is going to run and run.
On 13 April 2016 at 13:46, Deller, Ruth A <R.A.Deller@shu.ac.uk> wrote:
I mainly use male, female, other and sometimes 'prefer not to say' depending on how important gender is to the research. With 'other', I usually have a text box for people to write in. I don't tend to use 'trans' as a separate term because many trans people identify as either male or female rather than 'other' or non-binary, and there are people who are non-binary but wouldn't necessarily call themselves trans. It depends on what your research involves-if you are working with trans or genderqueer communities specifically, you might want to have a selection of different identity options around that.
-----Original Message----- From: Air-L [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Merry Sent: 13 April 2016 11:28 To: sky c; Air-L@listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-L] Gender and surveys
In my PhD three/four years ago I used radio buttons (male / female / trans*) plus a text box for anyone who felt they could not click one of the buttons. This was successful, in that some (about 2% IIRC) respondents used the text box.
Now I mostly just use a text box, or don't ask for gender at all.
Sarah Merry
On 13 April 2016 at 02:43, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
Been looking into this recently too. I found the examples in this report esp. helpful: Herman, J.L., ed. Best Practices for Asking Questions to Identify Transgender and Other Gender Minority Respondents on Population-Based Surveys. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute, 2014. The two below also have examples + have some interesting discussion on coming to agreement (or not) on these kinds of questions: Alper, Joe, Monica N. Feit, and Jon Q. Sanders. “Collecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Electronic Health Records,” 2013. Harrison, Jack, Jaime Grant, and Jody L. Herman. “A Gender Not Listed Here: Genderqueers, Gender Rebels, and Otherwise in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.” LGBTQ Public Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School 2, no. 1 (2012). And then this one is a little more 'Blow it all up!', plus talks about how gender comes into other kinds of survey questions: Westbrook, Laurel, and Aliya Saperstein. “New Categories Are Not Enough Rethinking the Measurement of Sex and Gender in Social Surveys.” Gender & Society 29, no. 4 (August 1, 2015): 534–60. doi:10.1177/0891243215584758. Thanks for asking this question, will be interesting to see what turns up! -- Rachelle Annechino On Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 6:43 PM, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: http://www.sarahmei.com/blog/2010/11/26/disalienation/
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
-- Rachelle Annechino
A text box is always ideal, but the elephant in this thread is the extent to which quantitative coding shapes question formats, especially when surveys are distributed online. Text boxes require manual coding, which is avoided by using binary data including Male/Female and/or more expanded categories that can also be turned into numeric data (I.e., Female 1, Male 2, Trans*3 etc.). That is, properly asking about gender requires a lot more work. The question of best practices in surveying gender is fundamentally a question of how to acquiesce to, or circumvent, the limitations of survey methodology, and the work researchers are willing and able to devote to data analysis. Jenny Jenny L. Davis Assistant Professor of Sociology James Madison University Co-Editor: Cyborgology.org Twitter: @Jenny_L_Davis ________________________________________ From: Air-L [air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] on behalf of Rachelle Annechino [joralemonshelly@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 11:07 AM To: sky c Cc: Air-L@listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-L] Gender and surveys Been looking into this recently too. I found the examples in this report esp. helpful: Herman, J.L., ed. Best Practices for Asking Questions to Identify Transgender and Other Gender Minority Respondents on Population-Based Surveys. Los Angeles, CA: The Williams Institute, 2014. The two below also have examples + have some interesting discussion on coming to agreement (or not) on these kinds of questions: Alper, Joe, Monica N. Feit, and Jon Q. Sanders. “Collecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Electronic Health Records,” 2013. Harrison, Jack, Jaime Grant, and Jody L. Herman. “A Gender Not Listed Here: Genderqueers, Gender Rebels, and Otherwise in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.” LGBTQ Public Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School 2, no. 1 (2012). And then this one is a little more 'Blow it all up!', plus talks about how gender comes into other kinds of survey questions: Westbrook, Laurel, and Aliya Saperstein. “New Categories Are Not Enough Rethinking the Measurement of Sex and Gender in Social Surveys.” Gender & Society 29, no. 4 (August 1, 2015): 534–60. doi:10.1177/0891243215584758. Thanks for asking this question, will be interesting to see what turns up! -- Rachelle Annechino On Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 6:43 PM, sky c <skyc@riseup.net> wrote:
I seem to be sending a similar email quite often lately, so I thought it might be worth sending out a version to the list more generally.
Many of the surveys I see sent out over this list still include a 'gender' option that offers users the choice of only 'male' or 'female'. If you're developing a survey to send out, it might be worth considering: * Whether gender is relevant to your research question/topic? (If not, you may consider leaving out a question about gender) * Offering more options for gender. Gender is complex, and many people don't identify as either male or female. Offering an option for a text field is a useful way to allow people to answer the question honestly: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.sarahmei.com_blog_20...
I'm also curious how people who are already addressing the gender spectrum in research surveys are approaching this: do you use a text field, 'male'/'female'/'other', or something else?
Thanks, sky.
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__aoir.org&d=BQIGaQ&c=eLbW... Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__listserv.aoir.org_listin...
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aoir.org_&d=BQIGaQ&c...
-- Rachelle Annechino _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__aoir.org&d=BQIGaQ&c=eLbW... Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__listserv.aoir.org_listin... Join the Association of Internet Researchers: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aoir.org_&d=BQIGaQ&c...
participants (7)
-
Davis, Jennifer Lauren - davis5jl -
Deller, Ruth A -
Lauren Power -
Peter Timusk -
Rachelle Annechino -
Sarah Merry -
sky c