What is the research study about?

You are invited to participate in a research study exploring the sexual health and well-being of trans and gender diverse (hereafter ‘trans’) people in Australia. The responses you provide will help generate new knowledge on the sexual health and well-being of trans people of all genders in Australia.  Having reliable and affirming information on the sexual lives and health of trans people is essential for designing interventions, preparing policy, improving services, and advocating for change.

Who is conducting this research?

The study is being carried out by a team of predominantly trans people with trans allies. The study is led by Teddy Cook and Denton Callander (Kirby Institute, UNSW). Other co-investigators include Loc Nguyen (Western Sydney Local Health District), Jack Khouri (QHub, Drummond Street Services), Jorj Kelly, Mish Pony (Scarlet Alliance), Martin Holt (Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW), Ben Bavinton (Kirby Institute, UNSW), and Mel Kelly (t150, Albion Street Centre). Funding for this study is provided by the National Health & Medical Research Council and the Kirby Institute at UNSW.

Who is this study for? 

This project is restricted to trans people of all genders aged 16 years and older who live in Australia. It does not matter if you use the words trans, non-binary, agender, man, woman or any other terms of gender diversity to describe your trans experience. Nor does it matter if you have or plan to socially, medically or legally affirm your gender in any way. Please note: this study is conducted entirely in English, so eligible participants must be able to read and write in this language.

Do I have to take part in this research study? What does participation require?

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a confidential online survey, which should take around 15 minutes. The survey will ask questions about your sexual and romantic experiences, including details about HIV and other STIs. It will also ask questions about mental health, the use of alcohol and other drugs, experiences of gender, stigma and discrimination, and reproductive health. Please note, this survey will also ask about your experiences of sexual and other forms of violence. You may choose to skip these and other potentially sensitive items if you wish.

No information you provide can be linked to you personally and participant responses will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. During the survey you will be asked to provide details like your month of birth, which will be used to generate a unique by anonymous identifier for your responses. It will not be possible for anyone to identify you from this process. This identifier will only be used to anonymously link your responses to those from the last Australia Trans & Gender Diverse Sexual Health Survey conducted in 2018 if you took part.

Are there any risks involved with this study?

In general, there are few risks involved with taking part in this study. It is possible, however, that reflecting on previous sexual and romantic experiences – including those related to sexual and other forms of violence – could cause feelings of stress or anxiety. Please know you can discontinue participation at any time or skip questions that you would prefer not to answer.

If at any point during the survey you feel the need to speak with someone, you can click the ‘I need to talk’ button located at the top of your screen. Clicking this button will open a list of LGBTQI-friendly counselling resources, which are available free of charge.

What are the possible benefits to participation?

We do not expect participation in this study to benefit you personally, although you will be given a chance to enter a raffle for one of five $200 Visa Giftcards. Drawing for these Giftcards will be completed and winners announced by 31 October 2025. If you win, you can select to receive a digital or physical version to be delivered via email or post. Any contact details collected to administer this raffle cannot be linked with your survey responses and will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. 

More generally, the findings of this study will be used to improve the way in which sexual health and well-being are addressed for trans people in Australia. Such improvements could include the way in which sexual health care is delivered, how we conceive of gender affirming processes relative to sex and romance, and the delivery of appropriately affirming and comprehensive sexual health education and services.

What will happen to information about me?

Completing the survey is an indication of your consent. We will use the information you provide to undertake a number of analyses relevant to the sexual health and well-being of trans people, including as part of academic presentations, publications, and reports. In any of these, information will be presented in such a way that it will not be possible to identify any participants.

The findings of this project will be posted on the study website and available for download as part of a short report. We will also share these findings with organisations that are involved with the health and well-being of trans people.

The research team will store the data collected from you for this research project for a minimum of 15 years after the completion of this project. The information will be stored in a non-identifiable format, which means your identity will not be known. Data will only be used by members of the investigative team and not shared with others, including for secondary purposes.

How and when will I find out what the results of the research study are?

A series of social media tiles of study findings will be distributed and shared widely, and the study investigators will seek to publish key findings in select academic journals. These will be listed or available from the study website (www.tgdsexualhealth.com.au). At the end of the survey, you can also opt to provide your email address to receive a copy of the study results directly. Please note that all results will be published in a way that cannot identify you or any other participant individually.

What if I want to withdraw from the research study?

As mentioned, participation in this study is completely voluntary. You may choose to withdraw at any time simply by closing the questionnaire, which will not affect your relationship with UNSW Sydney or any of this study’s partners. If you withdraw from the research, we will destroy any information that has already been collected. Once you have submitted the survey however, we will not be able to withdraw your responses.

 The information you provide is personal information for the purposes of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW).  You have the right of access to personal information held about you by the University, the right to request correction and amendment of it, and the right to make a compliant about a breach of the Information Protection Principles as contained in the PPIP Act. Further information on how the University protects personal information is available in the UNSW Privacy Management Plan.

What should I do if I have further questions about the research study?

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us. If you have any additional questions later, you can contact Teddy (teddy.cook@unsw.edu.au) or Denton (d.callander@unsw.edu.au). If you feel upset during the course of the survey, you may also contact the following free services specialising in mental health support for diverse communities:

  • QLife: 1800 184 527 (available 24/7)

  • Life Line: 13 11 14 (available 24/7)

  • Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (available 24/7)

  • Suicide Call Back Line: 1300 659 467 (available 24/7)

  • 13 YARN (available 24/7)

What if I have a complaint or any concerns about the research study?

If you have a complaint regarding any aspect of the study or the way it is being conducted, please contact the UNSW Human Ethics Coordinator on + 61 2 9385 6222 or via humanethics@unsw.edu.au. Make sure to quote the reference iRECS6117.