OSTP Requests Information on Data for LGBTQI+ Equity

On August 28, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a Request for Information to help develop a Federal Evidence Agenda on LBGTQI+ Equity. This request addresses the June 2022 executive order, “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals” (E.O. 14075), which tasked a new subcommittee on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (SOGI) within the Interagency Working Group on Equitable Data that will take the lead on developing and agenda to support data collection and aid in informing policy decisions to improve equity for the LGBTQI+ community (see previous coverage).

The RFI poses several questions regarding Federal data collections as well as privacy, security, and civil rights. For example, OSTP is seeking to better understand disparities faced by the LGBTQI+ community, learning what barriers and risks that limit LGBTQI+ participation in Federal surveys and/or administrative data collections, ways of improving participation, and how best to protect privacy while advancing civil rights for LGBTQI+ populations.

Stakeholder feedback will be accepted through October 3. More information is available in the Federal Register.