ABSTRACT
The Multidimensional Sex/Gender Measure (MSGM; Bauer, Braimoh, Scheim & Dharma, 2017) is a flexible multi-item measure to capture dimensions of sex and gender. These can be used separately or coded into a single trans-inclusive sex/gender measure. The three core items capture sex assigned at birth (generally genital phenotype), gender identity, and lived gender, with the lived gender item completed only by the subset of participants who do not check male–male or female–female for the first two items. These three core items allow for the analysis of data by birth-assigned sex, gender identity, or lived gender, and for cross-classification into single variables that identify trans and non-binary participants by either identity or lived gender. These dimensions may be centrally important to different research questions, with cross-classification by identity producing the largest groups of trans or non-binary persons, and classification by lived gender being relevant to studying processes wherein one may be interacting with other individuals or with systems (e.g., health services) while presenting in their gender. Depending on study goals, investigators may wish to add optional items such as a write-in personal gender identity item, and items on hormonal medications and surgeries. These latter items allow for assessment of endogenous and exogenous hormones, and for current sexual anatomy and physiology, in situations where those dimensions may be relevant.
