Satisfaction Among LGBTQIA+ Individuals with Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Survey Questions

Surveys often ask demographic questions about sex assigned at birth, gender identity, sexual identity, and gender expression. The phrasing of these questions, however, may fail to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ communities with response options that reflect their identity or experience. We analyze results from two randomized experiments that test different options for asking these questions among a sample of 1,473 adult LGBTQIA+ individuals in the United States. We test questions from the United States Census Household Pulse Survey, recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and questions written by the study team. We demonstrate differences across question wording and response options for respondents’ personal satisfaction and perceived representation for members of the LGBTQIA+ communities.