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Pages 1-12

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From page 1...
... Sex, gender, and sexual orientation are core aspects of identity that shape opportunities, experiences with discrimination, and outcomes through the life course; therefore, it is crucial that measures of these concepts accurately capture their complexity. Better measurement of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation will also improve the ability to identify sexual and gender minority populations and understand the challenges they face.
From page 2...
... to review current measures and the methodological issues related to measuring sex as a nonbinary construct, gender identity, and sexual orientation in surveys and research studies, in administrative settings (such as grant and job applications) , and in clinical settings (such as doctors' offices or clinical trials)
From page 3...
... TABLE S-1  Definitions and Terminology for "Sex," "Gender," and "Sexual Orientation" Sex A multidimensional construct based on a cluster of anatomical and physi ological traits (sex traits) Dimensions Sex traits, external genitalia, secondary sex characteristics, go which nads, chromosomes, and hormones include: Characteristics: • Usually assigned as female or male • Most often defined at birth based on visual inspec tion of external genitalia • Sex traits usually assumed to be unambiguous, but may not be • Sex traits usually assumed to correspond to the same sex, but may not • Some sex traits can change or be altered over time Minority Populations Defined Based on Sex Traits Intersex/ People whose sex traits do not all correspond to a DSDa single sex continued
From page 4...
... 4 MEASURING SEX, GENDER IDENTITY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION TABLE S-1  Continued Gender A multidimensional construct that links gender identity, gender expres sion, and social and cultural expectations about status, characteristics, and behavior that are associated with sex traits Dimensions Identity A core element of a person's individual sense of self Expression How an individual signals their gender to others through behavior and appearance Social and Related to social status, characteristics, and behavior cultural ex- that are associated with sex traits pectations Characteristics • Often conceptualized as binary (male/female or man/woman) in Western cultures, but also includes categories outside this binary • Often used interchangeably with sex, though it is conceptually distinct • Often assumed to be determined based on sex as signed at birth but may differ • Gender identity, expression, and social and cultural expectations may not all correspond to the same gender • May be temporally and contextually fluid Gender Identities Transgender A person whose current gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth Trans- All people who can be classified as transgender, regard gender ex- less of whether they identify as transgender; also called perience transgender history Trans- People who identify as transgender gender identity Cisgender A person whose current gender identity corresponds to the sex they were assigned at birth Nonbinary An umbrella term for gender identities that lie outside the gender binary Gender- A person who does not follow gender norms queer Gender- A person who does not identify with a fixed gender fluid Two- Placeholder term for specific gender and sexual orien Spirit tation identities that are centered in Indigenous tribal worldviews, practices, and knowledges
From page 5...
... of sexual partners, specific sexual activities, and fre quency of activity Characteristics • Often defined in Western cultures based on the gender(s) of a person's desired or actual partners relative to their own gender • The three dimensions of sexuality -- attraction, identity, and behavior -- may not correspond to the same orientation Sexual Orientation Identities Heterosexu- Sexually oriented toward people of a different, usually al, straight binary, gender Homosexu- Sexually oriented toward people of the same, usually al, gay binary, gender Lesbian Women who are sexually oriented toward other women Bisexual Sexually oriented toward both men and women Queer An umbrella term for belonging to the LGBTQI+ com munity; also used to refer to a person who is sexually oriented toward people of more than one gender Pansexual Sexually oriented toward people of any gender Questioning Uncertain about sexual orientation identity Same gender Nonheterosexual sexual orientation identity used by loving some within African American communities as a resis tance to Eurocentric language for sexuality Two-Spirit Placeholder term for specific gender and sexual orien tation identities that are centered in Indigenous tribal worldviews, practices, and knowledges NOTE: Populations and identities listed are a subset of all sexual and gender minority populations.
From page 6...
... This principle encompasses data collection for legal documents intended for individual identification; external authorization or attestation should not be required when someone reports, or wishes to change, their gender identity.
From page 7...
... Similarly, when data are collected in tribal nations, preapproved tribal research and data collection, analytic, and dissemination protocols should be fol lowed to ensure data integrity and community benefit and to ensure rigorous privacy and confidentiality standards are upheld. GUIDELINES FOR COLLECTING SEX AND GENDER DATA The growing visibility of transgender and intersex populations, as well as efforts to improve the measurement of sex and gender in many scientific fields, has led to a recognition that sex and gender are more complex than current measures capture.
From page 8...
... Asking respondents to separately identify their sex and their gender -- in particular, their sex assigned at birth and gender identity -- improves overall measurement quality and also allows researchers and other data users to identify individuals with transgender experience by comparing their sex assigned at birth to their current gender identity. This two-step gender measure has become an increasingly common and validated way to identify people with transgender experience because it identifies a wider range of transgender people than single-step methods that ask respondents whether they identify as transgender.
From page 9...
... When those protections are in place, the risk of disclosure is low for individual respondents, enabling the routine collection of data that identifies LGBTQI+ populations. In clinical settings, data are linked to a specific individual, but the information on sex traits, gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender experience, and intersex traits is also crucial for providing appropriate and necessary care.
From page 10...
... Very little information is available on measurement practices in administrative settings, and it may be necessary to modify the recommended measures in specific administrative contexts. We note that sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and sexual orientation are not the only types of potentially sensitive information that need to be collected respectfully and confidentially and used appropriately in administrative settings.
From page 11...
... Table S-2 details a subset of selection criteria for our recommended measure. The panel also recommends several areas for research, including validation of measures of sexual behavior and attraction and measures that incorporate "queer," asexual, and other emerging identities; alternate wording for the "straight" response category; the utility of including communityspecific terminology in response options; performance within adolescent populations; and how proxy reporting affects data quality (Recommendation 3)
From page 12...
... identity Populations Included • Sexual minority and heterosexual/straight identified in Testing • Spanish and English speakers • U.S. general population, racially diverse samples, urban and rural residents • Ages 12–85 years Adjustments to Previously • Replaces "none of these" response with "I use a different Tested Items Included in term" followed by a free-text field Recommended Measure • Includes Two-Spirit category in automated data collection where racial identity is collected and AIAN is indicated Weaknesses and • Narrow set of responses does not reflect current culture and Challenges terminology • Write-in sexual orientation identity field will have to be cleaned and coded for reporting; newer terms not listed (e.g., "pansexual")


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