Gender identity and sexual orientation: Survey challenges and lessons learned

Abstract

Research shows there are differences in the college experience for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including non-heterosexual and gender variant students. This is due in part to experiences of discrimination and negative campus climate for these students. Participants in this session will learn about and discuss the assessment of and conversations about gender identity and sexual orientation on other campuses, and the challenges and potential solutions for writing more inclusive survey questions about complex identities. Challenges and potential strategies for surveying, disseminating results, and talking about difficult or sensitive topics on college campuses will also be discussed. Finally, participants will learn about the engagement, perceptions of campus support, and satisfaction, of students with varying gender identities and sexual orientations from a longitudinal, large-scale, multi-institution survey of students at four-year colleges and universities.