Dr Kevin Guyan

Sex or gender information In the UK, sex and gender data can cover three categories: Biological sex. Legal or certified sex. This is sex as recorded on your original birth certificate or as amended under the Gender Recognition Act 2004. In almost all cases, legal or certified sex reflects a person’s biological sex. Gender. A broad term that is sometimes used interchangeably with sex or when specifically referring to social rather than biological differences between sexes. It can also capture data that equates to biological, legal or certified sex. Information about sex and gender is not necessary for the intended purpose of the digital ID. Inclusion of this information would not enhance checks that the digital ID belongs to the person presenting it. Checks will be done programmatically and through biometric authentication, neither of which require specific sex or gender data. Additionally, digital right to work checks and many checks in the private sector (including Know Your Customer (KYC) and simple age verification checks) do not require the collection or sharing of information about a person’s sex or gender. Similarly, access to most public services does not require this information. In specific scenarios where sex or gender information is required, it is better collected and verified by other means appropriate to that scenario, rather than contained in the digital ID. For these reasons, and in line with data minimisation principles, we do not intend to include sex or gender information in the digital ID.

The UK government's consultation on a digital ID system is now live! And – GOOD NEWS – the government does not intend to include sex or gender information in the digital ID.

"Information about sex and gender is not necessary for the intended purpose of the digital ID."

www.gov.uk/government/c...

Four books on a jazzy rug: Empire of AI; Queer Georgians; V13; Audition.

Spring reading 🌱

Great to meet in person today! Thanks for joining the talk! ✨

This will be my first time in Norway – excited to deliver a keynote and lead a workshop exploring themes from my books Queer Data and Rainbow Trap.

🌍 Oslo, Norway
📅 2 June 2026
📝 Call for papers now live!

www.kristiania.no/en/research/...

#queer #research #callforpapers #Oslo #Norway #LGBTQ

Text reads: Queer Symposium. Kristiania and the national Queer Research Group host the annual Queer Symposium every June. Our aim is to bring together experts to present and discuss queer research and the challenges the field is currently facing. The next symposium will be held on 2 June 2026.

📢 Queer researchers in Oslo! The Queer Symposium is taking place at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences on 2 June.

And there is an OPEN CALL for presentations and panel proposals exploring queer research and challenges today. Deadline: 1 March.

www.kristiania.no/en/research/...

Image of a busy conference hall with lots of Scottish green branding and slogans. The stages four seated participants and one standing speaker.

Queer data taking centre stage stage at the @scottishgreens.org conference this morning, thanks to @kevinguyan.bsky.social 🏳️‍🌈

Fantastic! Didn't know you were in the audience - thanks for sharing the pic 📸

Just under a week left to apply to share work at the 2026 Queer Data Showcase in Manchester!

📆 Application deadline: 26 Feb

www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s...

Queer demography at the British Society for Population Studies conference! ✨👇

Rainbow Trap: Diversity Policies, LGBTQ Categories and the Dangers of Inclusion Global Sexual & Gender Identities Policy Lab Seminar, 12 February 2026 Presenter: Dr Kevin Guyan (University of Edinburgh) Chair: Professor Hakan Seckinelgin (Department of Social Policy, LSE) …

In our seminar last week, @kevinguyan.bsky.social revealed how the fight for LGBTQ equalities is shaped – and constrained – by the classifications we encounter every day.

Catch up here:

City v-c backs Sullivan Review on gender question in research Failure to use biological sex as 'basic variable' will make research 'weaker and less reliable', says City St George's head Anthony Finkelstein Published on February 13, 2026 Last updated February 13, 2026 Jack Grove

The vice-chancellor of City St George’s, University of London has publicly lent his support to the Sullivan Review.

Read @jaytoddgla.bsky.social’s and my critical article to understand the full stakes of this Review rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

(Covered by the THE)

Thanks Christian, great way to end the week!

[Alt-text] A portrait photo of Dr. Kevin Guyan, academic and data researcher, and 2026 Attitude 101 honouree in the category “Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics”.

So proud of our author @kevinguyan.bsky.social for being included in the 2026 Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley! Huge congratulations! 🥳

If you want to learn more about Kevin’s trailblazing work collecting and analysing queer data, check out his books🌈👇

@attitudemag.bsky.social #Attitude101

Attitude 101 2026: Here are the 10 figures who made our 'STEM' list André K. Isaacs, Sophie Wilson and the BBC's Nathan Wren are among those making up the 'STEM' category of Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley.

How we count, categorise and (mis)use data about LGBTQ communities is central to the fight for queer equalities today – thanks for the love @attitudemag.bsky.social 💕

www.attitude.co.uk/life/attitud...

A headshot of Kevin with a green tint.

✨ Delighted to feature on the @attitudemag.bsky.social 101 list, which spotlights LGBTQ+ trailblazers from a variety of industries.

I'm recognised for my work in STEM, which feels especially meaningful as someone from an arts and humanities background.

#Attitude101 #LGBTQ #STEM #data

Queer Data: Methods, approaches, and what is queer social research anyway? Dr Kevin Guyan, University of Edinburgh

Join us tomorrow at 10am for a workshop on queer methods in social research! 🌈📚

We’re delighted to be joined by writer & researcher Dr @kevinguyan.bsky.social whose work explores the intersection of data and identity.

sociology.web.ox.ac.uk/event/queer-...

Rainbow Trap Rainbow Trap reveals how the fight for LGBTQ equalities in the UK is shaped – and constrained – by the classifications we encounter every day.Looking across six…

✨ Available to pre-order from your local, indie bookstore or from the publisher:

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/rainbow-t...

📚 Big news for box breakers and fans of LGBTQ data! Rainbow Trap is publishing in paperback in June 2026.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who's championed the book so far and I'm excited to get out there and spread the word about queer lives, categories and classifications.

Global Politics and Anti-Trans Moral Panics: Transfeminist Perspectives Academic Editor(s): Charlotte Galpin (University of Birmingham), Gina Gwenffrewi (University of Edinburgh), and Ash Stokoe (University of Birmingham) Submission of Abstracts: 1-15 March 2026 Submission of Full Papers: 15-31 August 2026 Publication of the Issue: January/June 2027

CFP for a special issue on the global politics of anti-trans moral panics from transfeminist perspectives. Timely and necessary. www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandg...

Department of Social Policy | seminar series | global research on social policy topics The International Social and Public Policy seminar series presents cutting-edge research on global social policy topics.

📣 In our seminar this week, @kevinguyan.bsky.social reveals how the fight for LGBTQ equalities is shaped – and constrained – by the classifications we encounter every day.

📆 12 Feb
➡️

"We welcome presenters from any background, with particular interest in hearing from artists, data practitioners/professionals, activists, & critical thinkers. We strongly encourage contributions that engage queer, trans, feminist, and non-conformist approaches to data"

£150 + expenses for speakers

Are you a data nerd who enjoys thinking/being queer? Then share your work at the Queer Data Showcase in Manchester.

🏳️‍⚧️📊🏳️‍🌈

✨ We’re inviting artists, academics, activists and anyone else who works with – or is interested in – queer data as a material, concept, process or problem to share their work.

The Queer Data Showcase is taking place in Manchester on Weds 10 June 2026. Put the date in your diary! 📅

A poster for the 2026 Queer Data Showcase in Manchester.

A photograph of the audience at the 2025 Queer Data Showcase in Edinburgh.

📢 Are you interested in queer data? The QUEER DATA SHOWCASE is returning in 2026 – and this time it’s coming to Manchester!

The CALL FOR PRESENTERS is now live! www.ai-ethics.org/queer-data-s...

Image with the text Rainbow Trap and a head shot of Kevin Guyan with a blue tinge.

How do we measure LGBTQ representation in the arts? 📊

I'm in London next week talking about LGBTQ data in the creative industries:

📍 @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social
📅 12 Feb, 4pm
👋 All welcome

Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ual-lgbtq-...

Workshop: Queer Data: Methods, Approaches, and What is Queer Social Research Anyway?

📆Friday 13th February: "Queer Data: Methods, Approaches, and What is Queer Social Research Anyway?" with @kevinguyan.bsky.social and @sociologyoxford.bsky.social. A workshop exploring how we think about and use data.

Don't miss it!

Thread- Has there been a 'loss of data on sex', as the Sullivan Review argues? @kevinguyan.bsky.social's work unpicks this. Guyan notes: for Sullivan, ‘sex’ data only counts when trans people are *forced* to record sex aligned with what was assigned at birth.

doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2025.2611975

Trans women can lawfully be housed in female prisons, human rights body tells court

The idea that the 'mere presence' of a trans woman in a female prison automatically breaches others’ human rights 'should be rejected', Scotland’s human rights agency has told a court

Thanks Anders, don't quite make it all the way to your part of this world this month but looking forward to the events and conversations.

Dates:

📍 12 Feb: London, @lsesocialpolicy.bsky.social
📍 12 Feb: London, @unioftheartslondon.bsky.social
📍 13 Feb: Oxford, @sociologyoxford.bsky.social
📍 25 Feb: Glasgow, @glasgow.ac.uk

🔗 More info: kevinguyan.com/events/

#LGBTHistoryMonth #LGBTQ #research #queer #data #policy #books