Methodological Issues when Conducting Research on

LGBT People of Color

Juan Battle, Graduate Center of the City University of New

York

Lack of large, national LGBT

data sets

Most Other

Studies…

<One Group>

<One Gender>

<Couples>

<Ethnographic>

<Easier to Measure>

<Sample(s) Looked the Same>

<Cheaper to obtain>

Methological Challenges w/

Collecting Data on LGBT POC Populations

Probability Samples Need Population Estimates

Sexuality is fluid … especially for LGBT people of color

Not to take this into account is (inadvertently) racist.

Sexual, Racial and Ethnic Identity

Sexual, Racial and Ethnic Identity

Sexual, Racial and Ethnic Identity

Solutions…

I. Non-probability sampling

1.Purposive sampling

sample based

2.Quota sampling fill

cells

II.Know What You’re

Measuring

1.Identity

2.Behavior

3.Attraction

III. Add Sexuality Question(s) to

(National) Surveys

Thank you for listening!

Thank you for listening!

Random sampling doesn’t work; No variance.