ABSTRACT
LGBT research in higher education has grown over the years; however, more research is needed, especially quantitative studies given their often-influential role in policy development. To support survey research that is inclusive of sexual and gender-diverse campus members, in this chapter we discuss various issues and strategies for researchers to consider when constructing demographic questions concerning sexual and gender identity, with significant attention given to questions assessing gender identity. We first discuss LGBT research within higher education in terms of initialism and some of the tensions surrounding representation of specific identities versus erasure in research. Next, we discuss key considerations survey researchers make when examining gender and sexual identity, as well as challenges faced when optimizing inclusion. Grounding our analysis in empirical examples, we examine the ways in which higher education researchers quantitatively determine LGBT-related demographic characteristics in selected large-scale surveys and published articles from the United States and other countries. Thereafter, drawing on emerging guidelines and research, we discuss various recommended approaches to measuring gender and sexual identity. We conclude by highlighting future directions related to LGBT-demographic characteristics for researchers to consider in their efforts to the inclusion, engagement and wellbeing of LGBT campus members.
