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This research project will explore the ways data on sex and on gender identity is collected and can be transformed.
This project runs from March to September 2024 and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
Background
The loss of robust, standardised data on sex in the UK has raised concern among a range of stakeholders, including academics and policymakers. At the same time, there is evidence of wider barriers – at an institutional and societal level – to research and scholarly activity regarding sex and gender, making it difficult for open discussion to take place.
Against this backdrop, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has commissioned this independent review – terms of reference.
Methodology
The review will be conducted using existing sources and interviews with stakeholders. In addition, there is a call for evidence on barriers to research on sex and gender.
Research aims
The project aims to:
- Identify obstacles to accurate data collection and research on sex and on gender identity in public bodies and in the research system, and
- Set out good practice guidance for how to collect data on sex and gender identity.
Team
Project lead
- Professor Alice Sullivan, Centre for Longitudinal Studies
Members
- Murray Blackburn Mackenzie
- Dr Kathryn Webb, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford
Call for evidence
The loss of robust data on sex in the UK has raised concern. There is also evidence of wider barriers, at an institutional and societal level, to research and scholarly activity regarding sex and gender, making it difficult for open discussion to take place.
Against this backdrop, The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has commissioned this independent review, which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
The review welcomes submissions of evidence in two strands:
- Examples of flawed data collection on sex and/or gender identity
- Barriers to research
The call for evidence will be open from 22nd April until 3rd June 2024.
Strand 1: Examples of data collection
Do you have an example or examples of UK data collection on sex and/or gender identity which you perceived as inadequate or flawed? If so, we invite you to submit them for the review.
We will ask you to provide your examples (ideally including screenshots of any relevant questionnaire items) and some basic supporting information about what the data collection exercise was and why you perceived it to be flawed or inadequate.
Anyone can contribute to this strand, and there is no need to provide any personal information about yourself.
Strand 2: Barriers to research
Have you experienced barriers to carrying out research on issues relating to sex, gender and gender identity?
The review is interested in all barriers to research on sex and gender experienced by UK-based individuals, including, but not limited to, barriers to data collection. We are interested in barriers affecting all aspects of the research process and research climate, including for example barriers affecting or operating via: ethics committees; academic publishing; research funding; institutional policies; events and no-platforming; peer ostracism; chilling effects and self-censorship.
Our aim is to gather stories that provide insight into people’s experiences of facing barriers to research.
We expect most respondents to this strand of the review to be UK university academics or students or researchers outside university settings.
Information and consent
If you would like to participate, please read the information sheet below.
- Information sheet
Professor Alice Sullivan, University College London (UCL), has been commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to undertake a “Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender”. The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
The call for evidence allows any interested party to make a written online submission, either anonymously or not, as you prefer.
This information sheet aims to answer any questions you might have about the project, but please don’t hesitate to contact us if there is anything else you would like to know.
Who is carrying out the research?
The Principal Investigator is Professor Alice Sullivan (UCL). She will be working with Murray Blackburn Mackenzie Policy Analysis and Dr Kathryn Webb (University of Oxford).
Why are we doing this research?
This review aims: firstly, to provide an overview of the current situation regarding data collection on sex and gender identity in the UK. Second, to identify barriers to research and make recommendations to assist universities, research organisations and other relevant bodies in overcoming these. And third, to provide clear guidance to help public bodies and other data owners to collect accurate and consistent data on sex and gender identity. There is evidence of wider barriers, at an institutional and societal level, to research and scholarly activity regarding sex and gender, making it difficult for open discussion to take place. This is a sensitive topic which is politically contested.
Why am I being invited to take part?
The call for evidence allows all interested parties to take part by providing information on data collection (strand 1) and barriers to research on sex and gender that they have experienced or are aware of (strand 2). These barriers may include barriers to data collection, funding, publication, holding events, or any other part of the research process. They may also include barriers such as peer pressure, self-silencing, and institutional policies.
What will happen if I choose to take part?
If you choose to take part, you will be able to provide evidence via a secure system. The type and extent of evidence you provide will be up to you. As part of the online system, you will be asked to sign a consent form.
Will my taking part be kept confidential?
There are strict laws which safeguard your privacy at every stage. Participant details will be held securely and treated in strict confidence. We will not use direct quotes from your submission without your explicit permission.
Could there be problems for me if I take part?
We recognise that this is a sensitive topic. We will not use any information which could identify you without your permission.
What will happen to the results of the research?
The main output of the research will be an independent report, to be published by DSIT. Respondents will not be identified in this report, or in any other project publications, without their explicit permission.
We will comply with the UCL Records Retention Schedule, which recommends research data is retained for 10 years after completion of the research. The report will be shared with participants who provide an email address on publication, and will be publicly available.Do I have to take part?
It is entirely up to you whether or not you choose to take part. We hope that if you do choose to be involved then you will find it a valuable experience. There will be no negative repercussions for individuals or organisations who do not wish to take part.
Data Protection Privacy Notice
The call for evidence survey data will feed directly into the UCL Data Safe Haven.
The UCL Data Safe Haven:
- Provides a secure channel to handle and upload data, ensuring only those with assigned access are able to view and manage the data.
- Provides a protected environment with a number of applications for data management and transformation.
The Data Safe Haven has been certified to the ISO27001 information security standard and conforms to NHS Digital's Information Governance Toolkit. Built using a walled garden approach, where the data is stored, processed and managed within the security of the system, the DSH avoids the complexity of assured end-point encryption. A file transfer mechanism enables information to be transferred into the walled garden simply and securely.
The controller for this project will be University College London (UCL). The UCL Data Protection Officer provides oversight of UCL activities involving the processing of personal data, and can be contacted at data-protection@ucl.ac.uk.
This ‘local’ privacy notice sets out the information that applies to this particular study. Further information on how UCL uses participant information from research studies can be found in our ‘general’ privacy notice for participants in research studies.
The information that is required to be provided to participants under data protection legislation (GDPR and DPA 2018) is provided across both the ‘local’ and ‘general’ privacy notices. The lawful basis that will be used to process any personal data is: ‘Public task’ for personal data and ’Research purposes’ for special category data. The special category data collected may include: beliefs, political views, ethnic group and sexual orientation. You may opt in to providing personal data including your name and professional position if you wish.
Your personal data will be processed as long as it is required for the research project. If we are able to anonymise or pseudonymise the personal data you provide we will undertake this, and will endeavour to minimise the processing of personal data wherever possible. If you are concerned about how your personal data is being processed, or if you would like to contact us about your rights, please contact UCL in the first instance at dataprotection@ucl.ac.uk.
Contact for further information
- If you have any further questions before you decide whether to take part, you can reach the review team at ioe.SullivanReview@ucl.ac.uk and the PI at alice.sullivan@ucl.ac.uk.
- If you decide to proceed to the survey, you will be asked to complete a consent form following the survey.
- All questions are optional, and you can exit the survey at any point. You can withdraw your consent to the use of quotes (if applicable) prior to 15th August 2024 by contacting the review team at the above email.
- You will have the option to consent (or not) to follow-up contact with the review team.
- This project has been reviewed and approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this information sheet.
If you have questions, you can contact the review team at ioe.SullivanReview@ucl.ac.uk.
Additional information
If you wish to contact the review team, email <ioe.SullivanReview@ucl.ac.uk>
Updates will be posted from @Sullivan_Review.