Join our session at the 7th Conference of the European Survey Research Association (ESRA) in Lisbon, 17th-21st July 2017!

Session title: "Analyzing the lives of LGBTI people - survey approaches to LGBTI persons, couples and families"

Convenor: Dr Stephanie Steinmetz (Sociology Department, University of Amsterdam)

Coordinator 1: Ms Mirjam Fischer (Sociology Department, University of Amsterdam)

Coordinator 2: Ms Nancy Bates (Research and Methodology Directorate, U.S. Census Bureau)

In recent years, much progress has been made in the US, Europe and beyond with regard to legislation that is supportive and protective of LGBTs (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans persons). While these achievements are laudable, it is important to keep evaluating to what extent they truly improve the lives of LGBTs. There are still many sources of inequality and discrimination that remain deeply embedded in the social fabric of societies. Compared to research on other minority groups, sexual orientation has been

studied quantitatively much less in the social sciences. Yet, quantitative scholars have continuously made efforts to overcome the methodological challenges associated with studying this population by using

surveys. This is an important development which should be encouraged and continued.

This session welcomes contributions focusing on the wide range of issues that need to be addressed when studying LGBT populations with survey-based methods. For example, is the 2-step method (sex assigned

at birth and sex identify with now) best for reducing undercounting of transgender populations? As younger people embrace non-binary or gender-nonconforming identities, how must our questions and

categories for gender identity change? Can sexual orientation be collected by proxy in surveys that use a single household informant to provide all member’s demographic information? How can concepts around

sexual orientation and gender identity be translated for non-Western cultures and non-native languages? Are there interviewer effects when collecting SOGI in telephone and personal visit surveys? Does the

addition of SOGI items harm unit response rates in surveys that do not typically collect such items (e.g. labor force or consumer expenditure surveys)? What are strategies for designing sampling frames

intended at capturing LGBT populations? In addition, this session also invites submissions that focus on topical survey results around LGBT populations such as physical and mental health disparities, income inequality, hate crimes, and household and family structures. The session hopes to draw a cross-section of submissions from different countries and different survey experiences.

Submit your proposal here: http://www.europeansurveyresearch.org/conference 

Submission deadline: Dec 4, 2016 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.