To whom it may affirm: Considerations for advancing LGBTQIA+ equity in research

Abstract

The LGBTQIA+ community is a strong, resilient, and diverse community that has been at the forefront of disrupting systems of oppression. However, research continues to stigmatize LGBTQIA+ people and exclude the community’s priorities. In response, many researchers, community advocates, and governmental organizations have called for the prioritization of inclusive, equity-centered research with LGBTQIA+ populations. Given the lack of “gold standards” that currently exist for such research, the purpose of this article is to digest and expand upon eight actionable priorities for engaging in equity-centered research with LGBTQIA+ populations: meaningful LGBTQIA+ data, safety, granularity, evolving identities, construct relevance, community-based research, intersectionality, and equity-centered research. By engaging in these practices, researchers can help dismantle systems of oppression that drive outcomes and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ populations, as well as shift narratives away from deficit-framing research and toward strength-based research. This article presents these considerations for researchers not as an exhaustive checklist, but rather as a resource for engaging in equity-centered research that meaningfully characterizes, protects, and celebrates the joy of LGBTQIA+ communities.