University project on beliefs around gender identity

[PawResearcher]

Hi — I hope it’s okay to post this here.

I'm a student at Durham University, and I would really love to hear your perspectives on the project I'm doing about people’s beliefs on gender identity and what influences them. A couple of years ago, I got some really helpful responses through Mumsnet on a different project. I know this is a great place to go to for some really thoughtful responses.

I’m running a short, anonymous survey, and I’m hoping to hear a wide range of opinions, so all perspectives are welcome.
It takes about 10–15 minutes and does not collect personal information or emails.
If you’d like to take part, here’s the link:
https://forms.gle/NDAsGBgR3hAxYGtc6

I'll come back when I've finished the project and give an update to those interested.

Thank you very much to anyone who participates — your input is really appreciated!

Thank you for your response. I'm sorry to hear about your friend's experience - it sounds very frustrating. I included "queer" as an option because I'm aiming to take a very neutral position in my research. If someone who considers themselves queer does not see it as an option, it can create mistrust, and I want the survey to feel open to everyone without imposing any particular viewpoint. As for why I asked about what makes a man, woman, or other gender rather than sex: I chose gender because sex has a fixed, empirical definition, whereas gender is understood very differently by different people. Looking at those differing definitions is central to my research. My project is rooted in analysing people’s beliefs, so understanding how respondents define and interpret gender helps me see not just what they think, but why they think it.

@PawResearcher
To try and encourage you in the face of some adversity.
It's my opinion that where there are great divides in society, understanding the causes of those great divides must be a rich and deep seam of data and understanding to be mined from an academic point of view. As I said before when everyone agrees on something, what is there to be researched?

The toasty reception you've received here could be considered proof that you've chosen a hotspot that's ripe for deep mining, and that your instincts/nose in choosing this topic for research, are good. Consider the fiery reception a positive sign that you chose a good topic for reasearch. My best guess is if you chose a topic where everyone agreed you would find the research incredibly dull and boring as would the reviewers of your results.

To back up what I have positied above, and hopefully insipre you a bit more to stick with the heat of fiery paths I'd like to propose an exercise for you. Google "Accidental Courtesy" and "Daryl Davis" A heartwarming story born out of the oldest and deepest of social divides. Daryl Davis is a black R&B musician who bumped into a member of the KKK by accident when he was playing at a bar. Daryl wanted to understand why the KKK hated him as a black man, so he engaged with them. Over time Daryl got to know members of the KKK, and those members in turn came to know and then respect Daryl. Over the next decades many members of the KKK left because in coming to know Daryl it made them question their membership. To the point the KKK in Maryland collapsed because so many members left because of Daryl. Many of the members who left handed Daryl their KKK robes as a leaving gift. Daryl has at least one wardrobe full of ex KKK members' robes because he talked to them to understand them. It's an incredible inspiring story and I cannot recommend the documentary about it "Accidental Courtesy" highly enough.

Where the fire is, is where the good stuff lives. If you face some hostility and mistrust when first researching a societal group or phenomina, don't take it personally, or let it discourage you. Instead take it as a sign that you've landed right where the good stuff is :)

That's such a fantastic story about Darryl Davis and the KKK. Thanks for sharing it 👍

If someone labels themselves "queer" it tells you nothing about their sexuality.

I know of a male + female couple who describe themselves as "queer" but I know they are in fact heterosexual and always have been. Another couple claiming the same label might be a heterosexual male and a bisexual female. And so on.

Sexuality is based on sex.

Go watch the documentary, it's fairly easily available and incredibly inspiring. How to bridge a divide simply by talking and listening to the other person's point of view. No amount of shouting, smearing, or cancel culture could ever have the same positive effect.

Thank you. I will. I dislike all this cancel culture.

That's interesting - why do that heterosexual couple call themselves "queer"?

Because one of them calls himself "non-binary", I gather.

The actual reason is probably wanting to keep up with their particular set of Joneses where a gender identity seems de rigueur, or attention seeking, or wanting to appear cool, or a combination of any or all of those.

Enough said.

I agree that "queer" is a problematic word and that most people using it will be straight, but I also think it could be revealing. I suspect people who describe themselves as such are more likely to be deep in gender woo while people who say they are gay/lesbian will be more likely to be GC. Might be something that comes out of the survey?

@lechiffre55 what a wonderful story! I must watch that documentary!

Completely agree - it is absolutely valid to raise points. And this person is clearly not a child, demonstrated by how professionally they’re handling these comments. In my view, aggressiveness doesn’t make an argument more valid. Some people seem to be choosing a hostile tone, but that doesn’t add anything to the substance of their point. That is all I was trying to convey. Passion for such an important topic is completely understandable and needed but the negativity in some of these comments is unnecessary.

That’s a great point! I will be checking whether those patterns show up in the data.

Yes, that's fine, perfectly valid.

You can just answer that you don’t have a gender identity, you have a sex.

that’s not good from an analytical or bias perspective. It presupposes people have w one rather than might.

It’s not a question that requires a yes/no answer, it gives you an opportunity to express your opinion on gender identity - whether you have one, whether you think gender identity exists, whether you think sex is the thing that defines you rather than cultural stereotypes.

Maybe you read it as you need to make a statement about your gender identity rather than being able to make a statement about not believing in gender identity.

Politely I read it as someone who often does user research for my job. The first question is yes no. If yes get more information.

Because they identify as queer (ie spices straights) and/or 1 or both have some sort of special gender identity.
Basically its a way of saying I'm special look at how wonderful I am

Thank you. What is "spices straights"?

A typo for "spicy straights". Heterosexual people who think claiming a genderist or sexuality label makes them cooler and more interesting.

Done

Ok, thanks

Politely, as a non user-research professional, I could see a way to provide a full answer to the question without an initial yes/no question.

Well that’s why I do it for a living and you don’t I suppose.

Sure. Maybe I’m not your target user.