Gaps in reliable data at the state and local levels hinder efforts to improve the well-being of LGBTQ communities. A new guide from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law offers practical information on conducting community-centered data collection to inform policy and enhance LGBTQ health and social equity.
Drawing on 25 years of experience, the guide shares what works when creating surveys for LGBTQ communities. It covers how to design questions that reflect people’s experiences, how to make sure the data collected is not already available elsewhere, and how to gather data that speaks to contemporary law and policy questions.
Using tested, inclusive measures for sexual orientation and gender identity, the guide helps users collect comparable data across communities and over time. This enables comparisons between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ populations and highlights groups within LGBTQ communities—including women, men, transgender and nonbinary individuals, youth, elders, immigrants, and people of color.
It also includes examples of research from studies conducted by the Williams Institute in California and Los Angeles County.
“Since January 2025, federal agencies have removed questions about sexual orientation and gender identity from hundreds of surveys,” said lead author Laurel Sprague, Research Director at the Williams Institute. “Without this data, having reliable and accessible information on LGBTQ individuals at the state and local levels becomes crucial for understanding their needs and experiences. We hope this guide will support governments, researchers, and community groups in developing research that serves these communities.”