When developing surveys, one issue that often arises is which response categories to include for questions about sex and/or gender. While most surveys typically use three categories (i.e., male, female, and other), these are not inclusive categories for trans and gender diverse populations. Instead, we can refer to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ recently released Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables when designing our questionnaires.

This post summarises the statistical standards for sex and gender variables for survey and questionnaire use. For the statistical standards for variation of sex characteristic and sexual orientation, please refer to the full Standard.

Before presenting the questions to use for your survey, it is important to define the underlying concepts for the sex and gender statistical standards.

Definitions

While the terms sex and gender are interrelated and often used interchangeably, they are two distinct concepts.

Sex

The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines the sex variable as the sex recorded at birth, as determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or infancy.

Gender

The concept of gender is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression, and experience as a man, woman, or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identification that is not only male or female.

According to the Standard, gender can include the following concepts:

• Gender identity is about who a person feels themselves to be.
• Gender expression is the way a person expresses their gender, which may vary depending on the context (e.g., expressing different genders at work and home).
• Gender experience describes a person’s alignment with the sex recorded for them at birth (i.e., a cis experience or a trans experience).

Considerations

Although the terms sex and gender are interrelated and often used interchangeably, they represent two distinct concepts. The Standard notes that a person’s gender may differ from their sex and may also differ from what is recorded on their legal documents. A person’s gender can be fluid in that it may stay the same or can change over the course of their lifetime. For this reason, the gender response option will reflect a person’s gender at that point in time.

Survey Questions

The Standard recommends that, if the survey includes both sex and gender questions, then it should present the sex question first and note that a separate question on gender is in the survey ,and should ideally appear on the same page or screen of the survey.

Sex

This question can be asked in a standard way or using one of two allowable options.

Note that the Standard states that if Option 2 is used, then the gender question should not be used.

Question Structure

Standard

What was your sex at birth?

Please [tick/mark/select] one box.

Option 2

For this question structure, if a respondent selects ‘Non-binary sex’, then they may also selected either ‘Male’ or ‘Female’.

Otherwise only one response is permitted.

Is the person?

Please [tick/mark/select] one box.

Gender

Only one response is permitted for the gender question.

Question Structure

How do you describe your gender?

Gender refers to current gender, which may be different to sex recorded at birth and may be different to what is indicated on legal documents.

Please [tick/mark/select] one box.

1. Man or male

2. Woman or female

3. Non-binary

4. I use a different term (please specify)

5. Prefer not to answer

Why Does this Matter?

Traditional research practices have focused on binary definitions of sex and/or gender. However, this approach can exclude trans and gender diverse populations from participating in research. These populations already experience barriers that hinder research participation, including issues related to mistrust, a lack of awareness about participation opportunities, and concerns about being outed (Owen-Smith et al., 2016). Research participation is an important way to advance knowledge and address inequity for trans and gender diverse populations.

Reference

Ashli A. Owen-Smith, Cory Woodyatt, R. Craig Sineath, Enid M. Hunkeler, La Tasha Barnwell, Ashley Graham, Rob Stephenson, and Michael Goodman. Transgender Health. Dec 2016. 187-196. http://doi.org/10.1089/trgh.2016.0023