Human Subjects Review Council

Appropriate Language for Study Documents

Here you will find guidance and resources for appropriate and inclusive language regarding sex, gender, and sexuality for your study documents.

  • Sex

    Sex is a biological descriptor that can be determined by genetics, hormones, anatomy, and physiology. The best practice for asking the sex of a participant is as follows:

    “What sex was assigned to you at birth?”

    • Female
    • Male
    • Intersex
  • Gender

    Gender is a social descriptor that includes expression, identity, roles, and norms. Gender may or may not correspond to a person’s sex assigned at birth and may change throughout time. The best practice for asking the gender of a participant is as follows:

    “What is your gender identity?”

    • Woman
    • Man
    • Nonbinary
    • Genderfluid
    • Two-Spirit
    • My gender is not listed above (please specify) _________
    • Prefer not to disclose

    Depending on the research and how gender identity a point of discrimination, the following disclaimer is encouraged to be included on relevant study documents. Feel free to customize it to better fit your study.

    “This research aims to better understand the experiences of individuals across gender identities. Your individual responses will be kept strictly confidential, and this information will not be used for discriminatory purposes. Furthermore, providing this information is entirely optional and you can end the survey at any time.”

  • Sexuality

    Sexuality describes a person’s sexual orientation, behavior and identity. Similar to gender, sexuality can be fluid throughout a person’s life, or it can be relatively stable. The best practice for asking the sexuality of a participant is as follows:

    “What is your sexuality?”

    • Heterosexual (Straight)
    • Lesbian
    • Gay
    • Bisexual
    • Queer
    • Asexual
    • Pansexual
    • Another orientation not listed (please specify) _________
    • Prefer not to disclose

    Depending on the research and how sexuality can be a point of discrimination, the following disclaimer is encouraged to be included on relevant study documents. Feel free to customize it to better fit your study. 

    “This research aims to better understand the experiences of individuals of different sexualities. Your individual responses will be kept strictly confidential, and this information will not be used for discriminatory purposes. Furthermore, providing this information is entirely optional and you can end the survey at any time.”

  • Additional Resources

    Want to learn more? Check out the resources below for more information on sex, gender, and sexuality.

     

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