The variable SEXOR combines information on the sexual orientation of respondents from various sources in the SOEP. In 2016 (wave BG), (1) a direct question about sexual orientation was introduced (self-rep). Questions on marital status in the SOEP distinguish between same-sex civil unions and different-sex marriages. This distinction has been introduced in the household questionnaire since waves 2002 (wave S), in the person questionnaire since 2011 (wave BB), and in the biographical questionnaire since 2012 (wave BC). Starting with these years respectively, we use information of (2) the head of household on marital status of all household members (civil-hh), information on the marital status (3) reported by individuals in the person questionnaire (civil-p), as well as reported (4) in the partnership biography (civil-bio). Finally, the SOEP team provides pointers to the partner of each person in the SOEP households since 1984 (see pgpartnr in pgen documentation or parid in ppathl documentation). Combining information on the gender of both partners cohabitating in the SOEP household provides (5) the final source of information on the sexual orientation of adults in the SOEP (pointer).
Self-reports on sexual orientation surveyed in 2016 distinguish between the response options heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual. It is however impossible to clearly identify bisexual respondents from data on same-sex and different-sex partnerships even in longitudinal studies like the SOEP. This is because some bisexual respondents may be observed at periods of no-cohabitation, only same-sex, and only different-sex partnerships. Without any observed change in the partner’s gender, we are unable to identify respondents as bisexual. Our approach to this problem is as follows: first, we do not seek to distinguish between homo- and bisexuals in the generated SEXOR variable. That is, we code individuals with (at least) one observation of a same-sex partnership as homo/bisexual. We code individuals with information from at least two years (arbitrary threshold) on only different-sex relationships as heterosexual. Since bisexuals in stable/multiple different-sex partnerships are misclassified as heterosexuals instead of homo/bisexuals, we add the label “probably” to our generated variable to indicate that this information is potentially erroneous. In the case of no information on partnerships or only one year of information on different-sex partnerships we consider this insufficient to make any inferences on sexual orientation in these individuals on the basis of their observed partnerships.
Finally, the sexor variable integrates both the self-reported as well as the partnership-obtained information on sexual orientation.
The variable SEXOR combines information on the sexual orientation of respondents from various sources in the SOEP. In 2016 (wave BG), (1) a direct question about sexual orientation was introduced (self-rep). Questions on marital status in the SOEP distinguish between same-sex civil unions and different-sex marriages. This distinction has been introduced in the household questionnaire since waves 2002 (wave S), in the person questionnaire since 2011 (wave BB), and in the biographical questionnaire since 2012 (wave BC). Starting with these years respectively, we use information of (2) the head of household on marital status of all household members (civil-hh), information on the marital status (3) reported by individuals in the person questionnaire (civil-p), as well as reported (4) in the partnership biography (civil-bio). Finally, the SOEP team provides pointers to the partner of each person in the SOEP households since 1984 (see pgpartnr in pgen documentation or parid in ppathl documentation). Combining information on the gender of both partners cohabitating in the SOEP household provides (5) the final source of information on the sexual orientation of adults in the SOEP (pointer).
Self-reports on sexual orientation surveyed in 2016 distinguish between the response options heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual. It is however impossible to clearly identify bisexual respondents from data on same-sex and different-sex partnerships even in longitudinal studies like the SOEP. This is because some bisexual respondents may be observed at periods of no-cohabitation, only same-sex, and only different-sex partnerships. Without any observed change in the partner’s gender, we are unable to identify respondents as bisexual. Our approach to this problem is as follows: first, we do not seek to distinguish between homo- and bisexuals in the generated SEXOR variable. That is, we code individuals with (at least) one observation of a same-sex partnership as homo/bisexual. We code individuals with information from at least two years (arbitrary threshold) on only different-sex relationships as heterosexual. Since bisexuals in stable/multiple different-sex partnerships are misclassified as heterosexuals instead of homo/bisexuals, we add the label “probably” to our generated variable to indicate that this information is potentially erroneous. In the case of no information on partnerships or only one year of information on different-sex partnerships we consider this insufficient to make any inferences on sexual orientation in these individuals on the basis of their observed partnerships.
Finally, the sexor variable integrates both the self-reported as well as the partnership-obtained information on sexual orientation.