Some Queer facts about the use of data
In Scotland, the issue is urgent as major institutions – including the Scottish Government's Chief Statistician and Police Scotland – are reviewing their approach to gender, sex and sexuality data. Other institutions, including NHS Scotland and public funding bodies, will soon likely follow.
In April 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that "sex" in the 2010 Equality Act exclusively relates to "biological sex" or a person's sex at birth – forcing many organisations, which are required to record data for equalities monitoring, to rethink their approach to data. Over the past decade, anti-trans campaigners have also gained momentum, pushing to erase trans people from law, policy and data – most notably, a failed 2022 legal challenge against National Records of Scotland demanding a change in how trans people are counted in the national census.
Against this backdrop, we have brought together 40 leading policymakers, researchers, community leaders and industry practitioners – from diverse sectoral backgrounds – all working with gender, sex and sexuality data.
The purpose for the summit is not to instruct attendees how to collect this data – as approaches will differ according to sector and industry, depending on the topic being investigated. Instead, we hope to share common challenges, reflect on data experiences, and build dialogue and solidarity with people working across different roles and sectors.
There's a lot more to gender, sex and sexuality data than the question "Who counts as a woman?" We want attendees to ask: what does numerical data not tell us when exploring the nuance of people's lives? What do you do with people who do not fit the boxes made available? Should we move away from always trying to "plug data gaps" and locate "missing data"?
In 2022, Scotland's census reported that 4.0% of the population aged 16 and over identified as LGB+ and 0.4% identified as trans or as having a trans history. While the publication of these percentages was trailblazing – Scotland is one of very few countries in the world to ask about sexual orientation and trans/gender identity in the national census – they do not mean that data practices fully capture the diversity of people's experiences. Furthermore, collecting data about a community is only the first step – insights from this data then needs to inform action that impacts people's material, everyday lives.
We hope that the summit sparks connections among attendees – whether working in government, tech, health or higher education – and encourages people to think beyond the checkbox when working with gender, sex and sexuality data.
Dr Kevin Guyan is the Director of the University of Edinburgh's Gender + Sexuality Data Lab and author of Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025). Dr Chase Ledin is a Lecturer in Social Science and Medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
28 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Badenoch to call for end to oil and gas windfall tax and ban on new licences
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is set to call for an end to the windfall tax on oil and gas companies and the ban on new licences. The energy profits levy was put in place under the previous Conservative government but extended when Labour entered power. Designed to fund interventions to bring down household bills, the policy has been criticised by those in the industry. Speaking at the Scottish Conservative conference in Edinburgh on Friday, Mrs Badenoch is expected to tout the oil and gas sector, accusing the UK Government of 'killing' it, claiming 'renewing our party and our country means standing up for our oil and gas industry'. She will add: 'When the oil and gas windfall tax, the energy profits levy, was brought in, the oil price was near a historic high, at the exact time as energy bills for the British people were sky-rocketing. 'But there is no longer a windfall to tax. It has long gone. And the longer this regressive tax on one of our most successful industries remains, the more damaging it becomes. 'Labour have extended and increased this tax. They are killing this industry.' If the measure remains in place to 2030 as intended, Mrs Badenoch will say 'there will be no industry left to tax'. She will add: 'So, today, I say enough. Labour must remove the energy profits levy. Labour must speed up the process of replacing it with a system that rewards success and incentivises investment. 'Because we shouldn't have this energy profits levy at all. 'We must scrap the ban on new licences. 'We must overturn the ban on supporting oil and gas technology exports. 'And we must champion our own industry. 'We must let this great British, great Scottish industry thrive, grow and create jobs – ensuring our energy security for generations to come, driving growth and making this country richer in the process.' Mrs Badenoch will address her first Scottish party conference as leader on Friday while her counterpart north of the border Russell Findlay will deliver his inaugural address on Saturday. Responding to Mrs Badenoch, Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said her comments were 'out of touch', adding: 'Even with the windfall tax in place, the energy industry made over £115 billion in profits in 2024 alone. 'Meanwhile, average household energy bills remain hundreds and hundreds of pounds higher than they were before the energy crisis started. 'While the Government is right to be consulting on reform of the windfall tax, maintaining a profits levy could help fund home upgrades and a social tariff which would bring down energy bills for the most vulnerable in society.' SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: 'The Tories wrecked our economy, presided over soaring household bills and ripped Scotland from the EU against our will. 'And now they're lurching further to the right as they haemorrhage votes to Nigel Farage. 'This weekend will be an important reminder of how Westminster has failed Scotland. Only the SNP is offering hope and a brighter future as an independent nation.' Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: 'While the Tories and SNP let energy workers down by failing to plan for the future, Scottish Labour is committed to taking action towards reaching net zero, creating jobs and cutting energy bills. 'The Tories are on the side of oil and gas giants rather than working Scots, but Scottish Labour will work with the UK Government and use devolved powers to deliver a just transition for the industry. 'With Kemi Badenoch desperately attempting to rally the few remaining Scottish Tories, it seems like it won't be long until they can fit all of their MSPs in a single taxi.'
The Herald Scotland
36 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
John Swinney rejects Donald Trump's calls for more oil drilling
Mr Swinney stressed the need to 'recognise the realities of climate change' and carry out a 'just transition' to net zero. The First Minister said: 'I do not think it's a surprise that Donald Trump believes and says what he says about energy issues. 'I think we're all quite familiar with his line of argument – but from the Scottish Government's point of view, we've given a commitment to get to net zero, and we're going to see that commitment through.' Read More Donald Trump calls for more North Sea oil drilling with Aberdeen 'the hub' The First Minister added: 'The need to take climate action is absolutely central to what all governments have got to do, and the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to that journey.' He said the 'shift' from fossil fuels to renewable energy needed to take place in a 'managed way', and that there are 'huge opportunities' in Scotland for renewable energy. 'That's exactly the approach that we'll take, and we're now achieving great success in the rolling-out of renewable technologies in Scotland,' he said. The Scottish Government has committed to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2045, something the Conservatives described on Friday as a 'pipe dream' due to what they said was the 'snail's pace' of change. The Tories said that based on current projections it could take until 2080 for the country to achieve net zero status, and that there would be 'eye-watering' costs if the target is to be achieved. Mr Swinney rejected this characterisation, insisting: 'What my government will do is what we always do, which is we'll look at the evidence, we'll take the practical steps, and we'll deliver on our commitments, and that's what we do.' He also pointed out that the Conservatives had previously supported the 2045 target in the Scottish Parliament.
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Badenoch to call for end to oil and gas windfall tax and ban on new licences
The energy profits levy was put in place under the previous Conservative government but extended when Labour entered power. Designed to fund interventions to bring down household bills, the policy has been criticised by those in the industry. Speaking at the Scottish Conservative conference in Edinburgh on Friday, Mrs Badenoch is expected to tout the oil and gas sector, accusing the UK Government of 'killing' it, claiming 'renewing our party and our country means standing up for our oil and gas industry'. She will add: 'When the oil and gas windfall tax, the energy profits levy, was brought in, the oil price was near a historic high, at the exact time as energy bills for the British people were sky-rocketing. 'But there is no longer a windfall to tax. It has long gone. And the longer this regressive tax on one of our most successful industries remains, the more damaging it becomes. 'Labour have extended and increased this tax. They are killing this industry.' If the measure remains in place to 2030 as intended, Mrs Badenoch will say 'there will be no industry left to tax'. She will add: 'So, today, I say enough. Labour must remove the energy profits levy. Labour must speed up the process of replacing it with a system that rewards success and incentivises investment. 'Because we shouldn't have this energy profits levy at all. 'We must scrap the ban on new licences. 'We must overturn the ban on supporting oil and gas technology exports. 'And we must champion our own industry. 'We must let this great British, great Scottish industry thrive, grow and create jobs – ensuring our energy security for generations to come, driving growth and making this country richer in the process.' Mrs Badenoch will address her first Scottish party conference as leader on Friday while her counterpart north of the border Russell Findlay will deliver his inaugural address on Saturday. Responding to Mrs Badenoch, Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said her comments were 'out of touch', adding: 'Even with the windfall tax in place, the energy industry made over £115 billion in profits in 2024 alone. 'Meanwhile, average household energy bills remain hundreds and hundreds of pounds higher than they were before the energy crisis started. 'While the Government is right to be consulting on reform of the windfall tax, maintaining a profits levy could help fund home upgrades and a social tariff which would bring down energy bills for the most vulnerable in society.' SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: 'The Tories wrecked our economy, presided over soaring household bills and ripped Scotland from the EU against our will. 'And now they're lurching further to the right as they haemorrhage votes to Nigel Farage. 'This weekend will be an important reminder of how Westminster has failed Scotland. Only the SNP is offering hope and a brighter future as an independent nation.' Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: 'While the Tories and SNP let energy workers down by failing to plan for the future, Scottish Labour is committed to taking action towards reaching net zero, creating jobs and cutting energy bills. 'The Tories are on the side of oil and gas giants rather than working Scots, but Scottish Labour will work with the UK Government and use devolved powers to deliver a just transition for the industry. 'With Kemi Badenoch desperately attempting to rally the few remaining Scottish Tories, it seems like it won't be long until they can fit all of their MSPs in a single taxi.'
