Sex, gender identity, trans status - data collection and publication: guidance

Questions

Interviewer led (Face to face/phone) interview – Sex

Question wording

What is your sex? Or "what is the sex of (name of respondent)?" when responding for another person

Question responses

1. Female

2. Male

3. Prefer not to say

To not include in the question, but to code:

9. Not known

Question guidance

This aligns with the guidance for Scotland's Census 2022[19] with the exception that the respondent may state that they would prefer not to answer the question. The value "Not known" indicates that sex has not been recorded. This covers the sex of an unborn child, when someone has refused to answer the question or when the question has not been asked.

Written (paper or online) questionnaire – Sex[20]

Question wording

What is your sex?

Question responses

1. Female

2. Male

3. Prefer not to say

To not include in the question, but to code:

9. Not known

Question guidance

This aligns with the guidance for Scotland's Census 202219 with the exception that the respondent may state that they would prefer not to answer the question. The value "Not known" indicates that sex has not been recorded. This covers the sex of an unborn child, when someone has refused to answer the question or when the question has not been asked.

Interviewer led (Face to face/phone) interview – trans status

Question wording

Do you consider yourself to be trans, or have a trans history?

Question responses

1. No

2. Yes

3. Prefer not to say

To not include in the question, but to code

9. Not known

Question guidance

Here we use trans is as a term used to describe people whose gender identity is not the same as their sex registered at birth. To only be asked for people aged 16 or over Ideally present a show card with options 1-3. Otherwise read out options 1-3. Responding with the answer 2-Yes opens the question on trans status description The value "Not known" indicates that trans status has not been recorded. This covers when someone has refused to answer the question or when the question has not been asked.

Interviewer led (Face to face/phone) interview – trans status description

For those who respond to the trans status question "yes"

Question wording

If you would like to, please describe your trans status (for example non-binary, trans man, trans woman):

Question responses

This is an open text response

8. Prefer not to say

9. Not Applicable

Question guidance

The value "Not applicable" indicates that the trans status description question was not asked, i.e. the trans status question has a response of 1, 3 or 9.

Written (paper or online) questionnaire – trans status

Question wording

Do you consider yourself to be trans, or have a trans history? Tick ONE box only

Question responses

1. No

2. Yes

3. Prefer not to say

To not include in the question, but to code:

9. Not known

Question guidance

Here we use trans as a term to describe people whose gender identity is not the same as their sex registered at birth To only be asked for people aged 16 or over The write-in box for the trans status description should be visible underneath the trans status question The value "Not known" indicates that trans status has not been recorded. This covers when someone has refused to answer the question or when the question has not been asked.

Written (paper or online) questionnaire – trans status description

For those who respond to the trans status question "yes"

Question wording

If you would like to, please describe your trans status (for example non-binary, trans man, trans woman):

Question responses

This is an open text response

9. Not Applicable

Question guidance

The value "Not applicable" indicates that the trans status description question was not asked, i.e. the trans status question has a response of 1, 3 or 9.

Coding Framework for Trans Status free text response question

The Office of the Chief Statistician have produced a coding framework document designed to help statistics producers categorise the free text responses related to trans status. 

The coding framework is available in an excel file that can be downloaded from the supporting documents.