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WHY DO FEDERAL AGENCIES ASK ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION 

AND GENDER IDENTITY (SOGI) ON SURVEYS? 

FCSM-21-01 | June 2021 | Prepared by Jennifer M. Ortman and Karen L. Parker 

Some federal surveys collect data on the characteristics and well-being of sexual and gender minority (SGM) 

populations. Inclusion of questions about sexual orientation (SO) and gender identity (GI) on federal surveys 

allows for better understanding of SGM populations relative to the general or other population groups, 

including economic, housing, health, and other 

differences. These insights can lead to potential 

resources and interventions needed to better serve 

the community. Further, these data meet critical 

needs to understand trends within larger 

population groups. 

For example, we have learned from federal surveys 

that: 

• Suicide rates and reports of bullying are 

higher for sexual minority youth populations 

compared to non-sexual minority youth 

populations. According to the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth 

Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), significant 

differences are found in suicidal ideation 

and behavior by sexual identity. 2019 YRBS data indicate that 14.5% of heterosexual youth had 

seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months compared to 46.8% of lesbian, gay, 

and bisexual youth. 30.4% of youth who indicated a sexual identity of “not sure” had seriously 

considered attempting suicide.i

• Victimization rates are higher for SGM populations. SGMs are 2.7 times more likely to be a victim of 

violent crime than non-SGMs. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime 

Victimization Survey (NCVS), more SGMs experienced violence by a well-known offender (i.e., 

intimate partners, relatives, or other well-known persons) than non-SGMs and, among SGMs, the rate 

of violence by well-known offenders was significantly higher than the rate of violence by strangers.ii

• While current U.S. surveillance systems used to track COVID-19 do not capture information about 

sexual orientation, sexual minority adults (i.e., those who identify as “gay,” “lesbian or gay,” or 

“bisexual”) have higher rates (compared to people who are heterosexual) of several conditions 

known to increase COVID-19-related adverse health outcomes. Health conditions with higher 

prevalence in sexual minority adults, by self-report, include but are not limited to cancer, kidney 

disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease (including myocardial 

infarction, angina, or coronary heart disease), obesity, smoking, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and 

stroke.iii

• Lesbian, gay, and bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in the U.S. are less likely to graduate 

from high school and attend college. Relatedly, LGBT students have lower educational 

expectations, a lower sense of school belonging, and are more likely to have been affected by 

discrimination.iv

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations include, 

but are not limited to, individuals who identify as lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer, 

and/or intersex. Individuals with same-sex or -gender

attractions or behaviors and those with a difference in sex 

development are also included. These populations also 

encompass those who do not self-identify with one of 

these terms but whose sexual orientation, gender identity 

or expression, or reproductive development is 

characterized by non-binary constructs of sexual 

orientation, gender, and/or sex. 
FCSM-21-01 | June 2021 2

FEDERAL EFFORTS & METHODS TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE SOGI SURVEY QUESTIONS 

Survey questions should be developed with care and consideration, with thorough testing to ensure they

provide quality data without undue burden to respondents. Furthermore, when exploring whether to add 

SOGI questions to a new or existing survey, agencies should consider whether resulting data will be useful. 

For example, will there be sufficient sample size to make comparisons? Will it be feasible to use the results to 

target resources or to alter programs or services? 

Each question about sexual orientation and gender identity administered on a survey from a federal 

statistical agency has undergone extensive and rigorous research and testing to ensure that quality measures 

are developed with the utmost care and consideration relative to the sensitivity of these topics for survey 

respondents (see the 2016 summary report on evaluations of SOGI measures for more information). Focus 

groups and cognitive testing methods are used to assess the degree of difficulty in responding as well as 

privacy and sensitivity issues for both SGM and non-SGM respondents. Federal statistical agencies also 

engage with stakeholder and advocacy groups to inform question development and implementation 

efforts. 

Federal staff across Departments collaborate to learn from our collective experience and develop questions 

that can be used across data collections. The Office of Management and Budgte convened the Federal 

Interagency Working Group on Measuring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (FIWG) in 2015 to address 

the dearth of data on SGM populations and the methodological considerations associated with the 

accurate measurement and effective collection of SOGI data. The FIWG published three highly-cited papers 

in 2016 documenting the current SOGI measures in federal surveys and the testing used to develop them, 

what federal agencies have learned from evaluations of SOGI measures, and recommendations for a 

research agenda to continue improvement and promotion of quality measures of SOGI in the federal 

government. 

Federal staff continue to collaborate on the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology’s (FCSM) 

Measuring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Research Group which explores the measurement 

of SOGI, considering the differing dimensions of sex, gender, and sexuality. In 2020, the FCSM published a

report that examined recent sexual orientation and gender terminology and identified areas for further 

research. 

NEXT STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE SOGI SURVEY QUESTIONS 

Representative and quality data are needed to better understand the diverse needs of SGM populations. 

To improve upon existing SOGI measures and facilitate expansion of these measures in other data collections, 

the FCSM has identified five (5) areas in critical need of research to improve existing SOGI measures and

facilitate the expansion of these measures in other data collection opportunities: 

• Proxy Reporting: Many household surveys, including those conducted by the federal government, 

use proxy reporting (i.e., asking one household member to respond to questions about themselves 

and other household members) because it tends to be a faster approach to data collection, have 

a lower cost, and increase response rates. If the data collection of SOGI expands to additional 

household surveys, proxy reporting is likely to be an important means of obtaining this information in 

households. To date, there have been few studies on the use of proxy reporting to collect SOGI 

information. Ability or willingness of household respondents to respond to SOGI questions for other 

household members is of central concern as we consider fielding these questions on household 

surveys with proxy response. In addition, given that some SGM individuals are not always open about 

their identities with household members, the issue of accuracy of proxy reports is always a 

consideration for reporting purposes. 
FCSM-21-01 | June 2021 3

• Terminology: SOGI constructs and terminology are fluid and constantly changing in how they are 

defined at both the individual and societal levels. The terminology that is relevant and appropriate 

for describing SGM groups varies across sub-populations, language and time. Other challenges 

include selecting terminology that accurately reflects the response of a member of an SGM group, 

while avoiding confusion among respondents in the general population who are not members of an 

SGM group. 

• Question Design: Ongoing research is needed to ensure that survey questions contain appropriate 

and relevant wording for both the question and response options provided. Use of a write-in option 

should also be evaluated as a means for providing individuals who do not find a response option 

among those provided that pertains to them in a survey question. A write-in option might offer these 

respondents the opportunity to use their own language/terminology to self-identify in the way most 

appropriate for them. 

• Translation: SOGI questions must be translated to other languages to facilitate response from all 

survey participants. Translating SOGI questions offers a particular challenge, as there are not only 

differences in terminology and phrasing across languages, but variability in cultural constructs, 

language and understanding of SOGI identities challenge our ability to develop questions that are 

understood in the same way across languages and therefore sub-populations. We must carry out 

research to develop translations of SOGI questions that are culturally and linguistically appropriate 

and successfully elicit the information we are seeking. Effective translation of SOGI questions is vital 

to ensuring all population groups are properly represented in the statistics derived from these surveys. 

• Youth: Asking SOGI questions of younger populations (i.e., under 18 years of age) requires additional 

care and consideration to identify the most culturally and linguistically appropriate terms for diverse

youth groups that also demonstrate acceptable standards of measurement properties and 

performance. Unique issues associated with conducting SOGI research or asking SOGI questions 

among youth include the potential need for parental consent and assent laws as well as designing 

and implementing sometimes costly data collection methods that protect respondent privacy. In 

addition, there are challenges with greater salience among younger populations, such as the 

degree of the respondent’s “outness,” fluidity of the respondent’s identity over time, and status of 

uncertainty/questioning about one’s own identity. 

A shared federal commitment to collaborating on these research activities will increase the effectiveness of 

the questions produced through these efforts and yield increasingly more valid and accurate information 

about SGM populations. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCESABOUT ASKING SOGI QUESTIONS 

National Institutes of Health Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sexual and Gender Minority Clearinghouse

National Academies Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations Consensus Study Report (2020) 

National Academies the Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People Consensus Study Report 

(2011)

i

 Ivey-Stephenson AZ, Demissie Z, Crosby AE, et al. Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior 

Survey, United States, 2019. MMWR Suppl 2020;69(Suppl-1):47–55. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6901a6 

ii Flores AR, Langton L, Meyer IH, Romero AP. Victimization rates and traits of sexual and gender minorities in the United States: Results from 

the National Crime Victimization Survey, 2017. Science Advances 2020:6(40). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba6910 

iii Heslin KC, Hall JE. Sexual Orientation Disparities in Risk Factors for Adverse COVID-19–Related Outcomes, by Race/Ethnicity — Behavioral 

Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2017–2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:149–154. DOI: 

http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7005a1 

iv Sansone, D. LGBT students: New evidence on demographics and educational outcomes. Economics of Education Review, Volume 73, 

December 2019, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2019.101933