This report is intended to support state stakeholders at different stages of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection in making sound decisions about how demographic data should— and should not be—collected, used, and shared. It focuses on SOGI data collected by state and local governments through surveys and administrative and programmatic forms, rather than clinical data such as electronic health records or consumer data collected through smart phones, wearables, and other devices. 

The report maps the current landscape of state-level SOGI data collection, assesses emerging risks of data misuse in the present policy environment, and identifies promising governance policies and practices for stakeholders committed to ethical, responsible data use as a foundation for advancing LGBTQ+ equity. That includes recommendations for how states can continue to support LGBTQ-inclusive state surveys and needs assessment and adopt legislative and administrative strategies to bolster SOGI data governance. 

The report describes the California Health Interview Survey as "a prime example of a state-wide survey that has reliably generated information about the characteristics of LGBTQ+ populations and advanced the methodological research on measuring sexual orientation and gender identity."