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This section provides definitions and guidance on data collection for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation in accordance with the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2020 Standard.
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation 2020 (ABS 2020 Standard) standardises the collection and dissemination of statistical data.5 The ABS 2020 Standard, and definitions reproduced below, have been developed by the ABS in consultation with Australian stakeholders.
The ABS 2020 Standard identifies four variables with associated definitions that each present different statistical standards across a diverse and wide-ranging population:
- Sex
- Gender
- Variations of Sex Characteristics
- Sexual Orientation.
It is important to understand the distinctions between these variables, use the appropriate terminology and classifications, and avoid conflating terms. Broad use of the ABS 2020 Standard will support inclusive, consistent and comparable data collection and analysis across research projects. This will (1) provide valuable information about all population groups to inform the translation and implementation of research into health care, services and policies that support the differing needs of people across society, and (2) reduce research waste by allowing data from smaller studies to be interoperable, reused and/or contribute to a broader evidence base as appropriate.
The ABS website provides valuable additional information including:
Sex
A person’s sex is based upon their sex characteristics, such as their chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. While typically based upon the sex characteristics observed and recorded at birth or infancy, a person’s reported sex can change over the course of their lifetime and may differ from their sex recorded at birth.
Sex recorded at birth refers to what was determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or infancy. This is an important indicator for statistical analysis in births and deaths, health statistics, calculating fertility rates and deriving counts for cis and trans populations.
A collection may instead ask for a person’s sex at the time of completing a survey, rather than their sex recorded at birth. However, there are advantages of sex recorded at birth as the sex question and further data that can be derived when using sex recorded at birth as the sex question.
Sex is an important biological variable in health and medical research involving both animals and people. However, in people, sex also forms part of a person’s legal identity. Trans and gender diverse people and some people with innate variations of sex characteristics may not identify with their sex recorded at birth and so may change the way they report their sex over their lifetime. Data on sex may not always provide useful information about a person’s biological sex characteristics. This should be considered when collecting and using data on sex and determining whether other biological data is required.
Gender
Gender is a social and cultural concept. It is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, woman, or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female.
Gender includes the following concepts:
- Gender identity is about who a person feels themself to be.
- Gender expression is the way a person expresses their gender. A person’s gender expression may also vary depending on the context, for instance expressing different genders at work and home.
- Gender experience describes a person’s alignment with the sex recorded for them at birth, i.e. a cis experience or a trans experience.
Responses to a gender question may reflect a combination of gender identity, expression and/ or experience. In statistical collections, gender may be reported in terms of a person’s felt or lived gender, as well as how that person is perceived by others, depending on whether information on gender is based on self-reported data or done by proxy.
Cisgender (Cis): The cisgender (cis) experience of gender is defined for persons whose gender is the same as the sex that was recorded for them at birth.
Trans and gender diverse (trans): The trans and gender diverse (trans) experience of gender is defined for persons whose gender is different to the sex that was recorded for them at birth.
Non-binary: Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female.
Variations of sex characteristics
Variations of sex characteristics refers to people with innate genetic, hormonal, or physical sex characteristics that do not conform to medical norms for female or male bodies. It refers to a wide spectrum of variations to genitals, hormones, chromosomes and/or reproductive organs.
Other umbrella terms used to describe being born with variations of sex characteristics are intersex or Differences/Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
As outlined in the ABS 2020 Standard, it is important to note that many variations of sex characteristics are not evident at birth, and people may not be aware they were born with a variation of sex characteristics until puberty or later in life. It is also possible that a person may never know that they were born with a variation of sex characteristics. There is no singular experience of identity for people born with variations of sex characteristics.
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is an umbrella concept that encapsulates:
- sexual identity (how a person thinks of their sexuality and the terms they identify with)
- attraction (romantic or sexual interest in another person)
- behaviour (sexual behaviour).
Responses to a sexual orientation question are a subjective view of oneself and can change over the course of a person’s lifetime and in different contexts. An individual could respond differently to questions on either sexual identity, attraction or behaviour. There are a number of ways in which someone might define their sexual identity and attraction to others. Common examples include heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and bisexual.6
Data collection and analysis
Researchers should refer to the ABS 2020 Standard for guidance on best practice data collection and analysis for all variables. For example:
- Depending on the research project, asking for a person’s sex at the time of completing a survey, may be more relevant than asking for sex recorded at birth. Alternatively, a ‘two-step method’ in which responses to the sex recorded at birth and gender questions are cross-classified may be more appropriate for deriving cisgender and trans and gender diverse classification.
- Inclusion of ‘Another term’ as a third response option for the sex at birth question can enhance data quality; however, it should not be used as a count of people who have variations of sex characteristics. Many variations of sex characteristics are not evident at birth, and people may not be aware they were born with a variation of sex characteristics until puberty or later in life. The inclusion of born with a variation of sex characteristics or intersex as a response option in a sex question, alongside male and female, is not capable of generating reliable or consistent results in measuring this population, and perpetuates the misconception that intersex people are neither male nor female.
We encourage use of the ABS 2020 Standard and associated guidance on data collection and analysis by researchers in all research projects, along with adherence to the Privacy Act 1988, as appropriate. The ABS 2020 Standard is designed to collect demographic information on the Variables and routine use of the Standard across research projects will enable consistent and comparable data to be collected. However, there will be circumstances where the ABS 2020 Standard may not be suitable, such as:
- when conducting research internationally, such as a global clinical trial
- when conducting research with children, where terms such as boy or girl may be more appropriate
- when working with certain cultural groups, who may have different understandings of the Variables, or use different terms in their description.
There will be other occasions where the ABS 2020 Standard may not provide sufficient information on the Variables to answer the research question the project will address. Researchers are encouraged to collect demographic information, and to then use other best practice data collection methods to collect further information on factors that are relevant to their project.
This may include information such as:
- sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, hormone levels or anatomical features
- reproductive information, such as history of pregnancies or breastfeeding
- changes in gender identity over time or history of gender-affirming care
- societal gendered norms or expectations
- sexual behaviour, sexual identity or sexual attraction.
While people may be grouped together by similar characteristics, it is important to note that there is a lot of variation within groups. It is important to consider the relevance of other intersectional factors, alongside the Variables. Additional data collection could be needed to understand factors such as age, cultural and linguistic diversity, socio-economic status, abilities, and geography, and how these factors intersect with the Variables in relation to your research question.
5 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables. ABS, Canberra, 2021.
6 Definitions taken from: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, ABS, Canberra, 2020.