Embracing Complexity and Dismantling Binary Sexual Constructs in Sexual Health Research

In Brief We discuss the complexities of the construct and definitions of sex and gender in the context of their impacts on the planning, conduct, and dissemination of sexual health research. We acknowledge the challenges associated with conducting rigorous scientific work while also accurately representing the study participants in terms of their sexual and gender identities. This is essential given that sexual health research results inform the tools used in the fight against rising sexually transmitted infection rates and worsening health disparities for underrepresented groups. We offer select solutions at macro and micro levels to embrace the complexities of gender and sex by integrating them into sexual health care services and research infrastructure in an intentional and nuanced way. Binary sex and gender constructs pervade sexual health research. We identify touchpoints where this occurs and offer multi-level solutions for generating representative sexual health research that relies on accurate primary data collection.