Introduction: Nonmonosexual individuals (i.e.,
those who diverge from the binary, such as pansexual, asexual, heteroflexible,
etc.) continue to experience more direct and indirect harm than their
heterosexual and homosexual counterparts. To gain insight into these
disparities and why they persist, a more nuanced understanding of nonmonosexual
individuals and their experiences is needed. Methods: Recognizing the lack of
accurate representation of sexual identities in research, we developed the
Ferguson Sexual Identity Classification Instrument (FSICI), a demography
instrument which aims to provide respectful and comprehensive sexual identity
options to better ensure the inclusion and accurate representation of
nonmonosexual voices in research and beyond. A total of 169 participants completed
the Qualtrics based instrument, which included follow-up questions. Results:
This paper describes a preliminary concept study, which demonstrates
participant endorsement of the FSICI. Conclusion and Policy Implications: While
further research is needed to validate its use in larger projects, our findings
suggest the FSICI holds promise as a valuable demographic tool for researchers
seeking to better account for the sexual identities of participants and
constituents and may ultimately contribute to more accurate, applicable, and
advantageous research and policy outcomes.
