270757 LGB Identity: A Demographer's Perspective

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM

Gary Gates, PhD , Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA
Health disparities based on sexual minority status are pronounced (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Public health research and public health and public policy interventions are urgently needed to address these health disparities. But researchers and public health professionals must first understand how to define and measure the LGB population. Most researchers agree that sexual orientation can be defined by attraction, sexual behavior, and identity, but little agreement exists on the ways to utilize these in public health research and interventions. Demographers have a perspective on understanding LGB identity that differs somewhat from other social science disciplines. In its quest to measure and identify populations, demography has a keen interest in considering just who constitutes the LGBT population and, having defined a population, can it be measured and do different measurement strategies change the size, the density, and the vital statistics of a population? The author considers measurement issues associated with sexual orientation using data from the 2008 and 2010 General Social Survey, which measures both sexual orientation identity and same-sex sexual behavior and the 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth, which also measures same-sex sexual attraction. The analyses consider how different definitions of who we consider to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual can affect both population estimates and demographic characteristics. It also considers measurement of “the closet” by considering the relationships among identity, behavior, and attraction measures. The author concludes with a consideration of policy implications in relation to the policy debates including health disparities, relationship recognition, parenting, and discrimination.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Define LGB population Describe measurement approaches to LGB individuals in public health surveys and studies

Keywords: Survey, Measuring Social Inequality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a phd in demography and conducted and consulted federal and other agencies on the conduct of surveys on LGB populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.