The Case for “Other”: Measuring Gender and Sexual Identity in Survey Research

Abstract

As more people identify outside of binary gender categories and heterosexuality, survey research must adapt to better capture respondents' gender and sexual identities. Making the case for “other,” in this article, we review the history and contemporary measurement of sex/gender and sexuality to show how “other, please specify” options provide more accurate means for collecting data. Drawing from race/ethnicity data collection's long history of employing “other,” we demonstrate what we can learn about gender and sexual identity open-ended responses. We show that the use of open-ended responses allows researchers to recognize diversity and complexity in how people identify. Open-ended responses offer flexibility, adapt to evolving identity language, and are less challenging to use for analyses than often assumed. We conclude by offering practical suggestions: create measures based on research goals; be clear about what one is trying to measure; include a variety of responses to capture as many prevalent identities as possible; and include a text box for people to write in or expand on their answer.