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LGBTQIA+ allyship in science

Created by the ASBMB Maximizing Access Committee (2024)

Statistics

  • Statistics on the number of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ in STEM are difficult to find, largely because most surveys have not included questions about gender or sexuality. 
  • The National Science Foundation recently agreed to pilot several versions of LGTBQIA+ related questions on important surveys, including the Ph.D. graduate student survey (data available in 2026). 
  • A Pew Research Center survey (2022) found that 7% of U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual and 1.6% as transgender or nonbinary, although these numbers double among adults ages 18–29. 
  • LGBTQIA+ scientists face many barriers in STEM, leading to what studies have estimated to be 17–21% less representation in STEM fields compared with their overall presence in the U.S. population. 

Best practices for allies

Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender.

Gender expression is how a person publicly expresses or presents their gender.

Nonbinary can be in between masculine and feminine identities or completely outside the gender binary.

Sexual orientation refers to the gender(s) to which a person is sexually attracted.

Romantic orientation refers to the gender(s) to which a person is romantically attracted.

Sex is a category typically assigned at birth based on one's body.

  • Don’t assume gender, sex or sexuality. 
  • Model sharing whatever information you can (such as your own pronouns) comfortably. 
  • Use the language people use for themselves (i.e., “feminine,” “male,” “partner,” “spouse”), and default to neutral language when you don’t know. 
  • Google first, ask later (or not at all): Not every queer person is comfortable or suitable to be an educator on LGBTQIA+ experiences. 
  • If something’s hard, practice! Correct yourself mentally or set up a date with a friend to practice. 
  • Correct others when they make language mistakes or say something harmful. 
  • Seek content (movies, television, books, articles, podcasts, etc.) made my LGBTQIA+ creators to get a better understanding of the diversity of queer experiences. 
  • If you create forms and surveys, be mindful about how you use and ask for information about sex, gender and sexuality:
    • What exactly do you need to know (e.g., sex to correlate with medical data)? 
    • Share why you need to know and how you’ll use the information. 
    • Offer more than two options (multiselect or write-in). 
  • Advocate for gender-neutral bathrooms, the preservation of same-sex marriage, and gender-affirming medical care where relevant in your spaces. 
  • You will make mistakes. When you realize you’ve messed up, apologize briefly and move on. 
  • Gender identity, gender expression and sexuality are separate concepts, and you should not assume you know how people are based on current relationships or appearances. 
  • Note that people may still be questioning, which means they are unsure about or exploring their own sexual orientation or gender identity. Be patient and supportive, and follow their lead.