Demographic Differences in Responses to a Two-Step Gender Identity Measure

Area of Science:

• Demographic analysis
• Sociology
• Gender studies

Background:

• Demographic surveys traditionally lack robust methods for capturing noncisgender identities.
• The U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey introduced a novel two-step gender identity measure.
• This experimental survey is one of the largest federal, nationally representative samples for studying noncisgender populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze demographic differences between cisgender and noncisgender respondents using the Household Pulse Survey.
• To investigate the heterogeneity within noncisgender groups based on their identity categories.
• To highlight the importance of within-group analyses for understanding diverse noncisgender experiences.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey (n = 668,273).
• Employed a two-step gender identity measure to differentiate between cisgender and noncisgender respondents.
• Conducted comparative analyses of socioeconomic characteristics across different gender identity groups.

Main Results:

• Significant socioeconomic disparities exist between cisgender and noncisgender populations, with cisgender individuals generally reporting better outcomes.
• Identified substantial heterogeneity within noncisgender groups; for instance, transgender individuals were more likely to be non-heterosexual and never married.
• Respondents outside defined gender categories frequently reported uncertainty regarding their sexual identity.

Conclusions:

• The two-step gender identity measure in the Household Pulse Survey enables more nuanced demographic analysis of noncisgender populations.
• Acknowledging and analyzing within-group differences among noncisgender individuals is crucial for a comprehensive understanding.
• Further research should leverage such detailed measures to capture the unique and shared experiences within noncisgender communities.