Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Evaluation

One of the many challenges an evaluator faces is designing and implementing an evaluation process that is inclusive and safe for individuals who choose to be open about their sexual identity. An effective evaluator must grapple with the complexity of what it means to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) if she or he hopes to be inclusive.

People who identify as LGBT are diverse in terms of their socioeconomic class, race, ethnicity, religion, and sex, and they are hidden because their sexual identity is not known with certainty unless they self-identify. Assumptions are often made about one's sexual identity if one's gender identity or gender presentation is deemed incongruent with one's sex. For example, if a male's gender presentation is considered overly feminine ...