PULLMAN, Wash. - Just in time for the kickoff of Pride month, a Washington State University-led team will launch the first comprehensive survey of the state's LGTBQ+ residents on June 1.
The survey team will be attending Pride events and other gatherings across the state this summer to invite queer and transgender people from Washington to complete the survey. The goal is to hear concerns from the LGBTQ+ community and increase state officials' understanding of the community's demographics and geographic distribution. People who would like to participate can also fill out a survey online at lgbtq.wa.gov/survey.
The Washington State LGBTQ Commission is sponsoring this study. In contrast to some other states' proposed policies and changes that aren't beneficial for queer and transgender people, the state of Washington is working to support its LGBTQ+ community, said lead researcher Traci Gillig.
"The government of Washington is actively trying to make this state a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people," said Gillig, an assistant professor in WSU's Murrow College of Communication. "This survey is going to be very valuable for LGBTQ+ people like me. It will help gather information and share people's voices with lawmakers, so they can continue to move policy in a helpful direction."
Members of the survey team, who are all LGBTQ+ individuals, will be out at Walla Walla Pride on June 1 and the next day at Tri-Cities Pride on June 2. They also plan to attend Pride events in Spokane and Yakima on June 8 as well as Seattle Pride on June 30 and the Palouse Pride event on August 24, among others. The team will also be working to connect with LGBTQ+ Washingtonians from rural areas and Native American tribes as well as those who are undocumented or face other challenges to having their voices heard.
The survey is anonymous, and participants can volunteer their email on a separate form and be entered in a raffle drawing to win a $50 gift card. The team plans on awarding up to 350 gift cards during the seven-month survey collection period.
In addition to in-person activities, the effort includes using social media to reach potential participants through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X/Twitter. You can find more information on all these platforms @walgbtqsurvey.
The team, led by Gillig, also includes partners Veronica S. Smith from Sankofa Consulting and Crystallee Crain from Prevention at the Intersections as well as several WSU research assistants and Sankofa Consulting research associates.
"We're doing our best to reach everyone where they are in Washington," said Gillig. "We love when people are excited about taking the survey and share it with their LGBTQ+ communities. So, in addition to participating, we encourage people to reach out to their friends and family members who would be interested in taking the survey."
