Counting Queer in STEM

New Guidelines Help STEM Researchers Collect and Analyze Queer-Inclusive Data

A new article, “Ten Simple Rules for Queer Data Collection and Analysis by STEM Researchers,” offers practical guidance to improve the inclusion of gender and sexual diversity in scientific research. Published in PLOS Computational Biology, the piece is led by Dr. Dori Grijseels, Postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany, and developed by the Gender and Sexual Diversity (GSD) working group of the ALBA Network - an international community of neuroscientists committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The article consolidates lessons from two earlier ALBA guidelines: “Designing Inclusive Forms for Gender and Sexual Diversity” and “Reporting on Sex and Gender in Neuroscience Research.” The result is a concise, accessible set of ten rules aimed at researchers who want to make their work more inclusive, but may not know where to start. Importantly, the guidance applies not only to formal research studies but also to informal data collection, such as conference surveys or lab demographics.

“We want to encourage readers to think of sex, gender, and sexuality as multimodal variables,” says lead author Dr. Grijseels. “These arise from complex interactions between chromosomes, hormones, anatomy, and environment - and can’t be meaningfully captured by a single multiple-choice question. Recognizing this is both more inclusive and more scientifically accurate.”

The paper includes actionable advice on survey design, managing small sample sizes of underrepresented groups, reporting on sex and gender, and accounting for sex as a multimodal variable in animal studies. It also urges researchers to stay connected to evolving best practices by engaging with local queer communities and other stakeholders.

As the authors note, “We advise readers to use these guidelines as a starting point, and to continue the conversation with participants, fellow researchers, and queer interest groups.”