Dr Kevin Guyan
@kevinguyan.bsky.social
Author of RAINBOW TRAP and QUEER DATA 🌈 Researching LGBTQ data at the University of Edinburgh 📊 he/him/his ➡️ linktr.ee/kevinguyan
Time and time again we see the idea of 'data accuracy' being used to justify changes to sex and gender data practices 🔢
These changes have the likely effect of erasing the lives and experiences of trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming people from existing in data.
These changes have the likely effect of erasing the lives and experiences of trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming people from existing in data.
Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell: "A man who rapes or attempts to rape a woman, girl or other victim is, should be, and will be recorded by Police Scotland as a male."
November 12, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Time and time again we see the idea of 'data accuracy' being used to justify changes to sex and gender data practices 🔢
These changes have the likely effect of erasing the lives and experiences of trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming people from existing in data.
These changes have the likely effect of erasing the lives and experiences of trans, non-binary and/or gender non-conforming people from existing in data.
Police Scotland is giving evidence today at the Scottish Parliament on the recording of sex and gender in data 📊
Although plans are not yet confirmed, it feels like a big pivot to a biology-first approach to data 👇
www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/citi...
Although plans are not yet confirmed, it feels like a big pivot to a biology-first approach to data 👇
www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/citi...
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee | Scottish Parliament TV
www.scottishparliament.tv
November 12, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Police Scotland is giving evidence today at the Scottish Parliament on the recording of sex and gender in data 📊
Although plans are not yet confirmed, it feels like a big pivot to a biology-first approach to data 👇
www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/citi...
Although plans are not yet confirmed, it feels like a big pivot to a biology-first approach to data 👇
www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/citi...
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
🚨 New in Big Data & Society 🚨
"Sex in the medical machine: How algorithms can entrench bioessentialism in precision medicine” by K. Ichikawa, M. Boulicault, A. Thinius, M. DiMarco, A. Murchland, B. Maldonado, A. Higgins, and S. Richardson.
🔓: lnkd.in/dwivCrXH
#sex #gender #precisionmedicine
"Sex in the medical machine: How algorithms can entrench bioessentialism in precision medicine” by K. Ichikawa, M. Boulicault, A. Thinius, M. DiMarco, A. Murchland, B. Maldonado, A. Higgins, and S. Richardson.
🔓: lnkd.in/dwivCrXH
#sex #gender #precisionmedicine
November 6, 2025 at 9:23 AM
🚨 New in Big Data & Society 🚨
"Sex in the medical machine: How algorithms can entrench bioessentialism in precision medicine” by K. Ichikawa, M. Boulicault, A. Thinius, M. DiMarco, A. Murchland, B. Maldonado, A. Higgins, and S. Richardson.
🔓: lnkd.in/dwivCrXH
#sex #gender #precisionmedicine
"Sex in the medical machine: How algorithms can entrench bioessentialism in precision medicine” by K. Ichikawa, M. Boulicault, A. Thinius, M. DiMarco, A. Murchland, B. Maldonado, A. Higgins, and S. Richardson.
🔓: lnkd.in/dwivCrXH
#sex #gender #precisionmedicine
📢 GENDER AND THE MACHINE
Join us in Edinburgh on 20 Nov to explore entanglements of gender, marginalisation and emotion across tech and AI.
🗓️ Thurs 20 Nov 2025
📍 Edinburgh
👋 All welcome
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gender-and...
#data #AI #tech #emotion #trans #LGBTQ #queer
Join us in Edinburgh on 20 Nov to explore entanglements of gender, marginalisation and emotion across tech and AI.
🗓️ Thurs 20 Nov 2025
📍 Edinburgh
👋 All welcome
Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gender-and...
#data #AI #tech #emotion #trans #LGBTQ #queer
November 5, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Thisthisthisthisthis
Excellent thread, highlighting some of my complaints with a 'numerical diversity' approach to DEI work.
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Let’s take a look at the whole “there are too many black people on TV” thing, shall we?
After Pochin claimed Black people in TV adverts “made her mad”, all her supporters tried to use 👇🏼 as their excuse for why she was somehow justified in her overt racism.
Spoiler - she isn’t! 🤨
🧵
1/22
After Pochin claimed Black people in TV adverts “made her mad”, all her supporters tried to use 👇🏼 as their excuse for why she was somehow justified in her overt racism.
Spoiler - she isn’t! 🤨
🧵
1/22
November 4, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Thisthisthisthisthis
Excellent thread, highlighting some of my complaints with a 'numerical diversity' approach to DEI work.
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Let’s take a look at the whole “there are too many black people on TV” thing, shall we?
After Pochin claimed Black people in TV adverts “made her mad”, all her supporters tried to use 👇🏼 as their excuse for why she was somehow justified in her overt racism.
Spoiler - she isn’t! 🤨
🧵
1/22
After Pochin claimed Black people in TV adverts “made her mad”, all her supporters tried to use 👇🏼 as their excuse for why she was somehow justified in her overt racism.
Spoiler - she isn’t! 🤨
🧵
1/22
November 4, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Excellent thread, highlighting some of my complaints with a 'numerical diversity' approach to DEI work.
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Counting the number of people from a minoritised background (e.g. in TV adverts, company boards, universities) is a flawed method that creates opportunities for the misuse of diversity data 🔢
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
✨📣 Excited to announce our upcoming event GENDER AND THE MACHINE!
Join us on Nov 20th for an afternoon exploring gender, marginalisation and emotion in tech - talks by @haimson.bsky.social and @naz-andalibi.bsky.social, plus panel discussion and networking reception
⬇️ sign up
shorturl.at/QlMfx
Join us on Nov 20th for an afternoon exploring gender, marginalisation and emotion in tech - talks by @haimson.bsky.social and @naz-andalibi.bsky.social, plus panel discussion and networking reception
⬇️ sign up
shorturl.at/QlMfx
Gender and the Machine: Trans Tech, Emotion and AI
Join us for this afternoon of events discussing gender, marginalisation and emotion in AI and digital technologies
shorturl.at
November 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM
✨📣 Excited to announce our upcoming event GENDER AND THE MACHINE!
Join us on Nov 20th for an afternoon exploring gender, marginalisation and emotion in tech - talks by @haimson.bsky.social and @naz-andalibi.bsky.social, plus panel discussion and networking reception
⬇️ sign up
shorturl.at/QlMfx
Join us on Nov 20th for an afternoon exploring gender, marginalisation and emotion in tech - talks by @haimson.bsky.social and @naz-andalibi.bsky.social, plus panel discussion and networking reception
⬇️ sign up
shorturl.at/QlMfx
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Important.
@transactualuk.bsky.social have released a new report about the harm caused by the Supreme Court misjudgement & the EHRC's interpretation of it.
It shows how the ruling & interpretation is also harming cis women. Those it was supposed to "protect".
transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
@transactualuk.bsky.social have released a new report about the harm caused by the Supreme Court misjudgement & the EHRC's interpretation of it.
It shows how the ruling & interpretation is also harming cis women. Those it was supposed to "protect".
transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
October 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Important.
@transactualuk.bsky.social have released a new report about the harm caused by the Supreme Court misjudgement & the EHRC's interpretation of it.
It shows how the ruling & interpretation is also harming cis women. Those it was supposed to "protect".
transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
@transactualuk.bsky.social have released a new report about the harm caused by the Supreme Court misjudgement & the EHRC's interpretation of it.
It shows how the ruling & interpretation is also harming cis women. Those it was supposed to "protect".
transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
🌈 rainbowR meet-up today: Wed Oct 29th, 4:30pm UTC 🌈
- connect with other LGBTQ+ people who code in #RStats 🏳️🌈
- ask questions about R 🙋
- tell us about an R package you like 📦
- show us something R-related you’ve done 💻
Registration via rainbowr.org/meetups - NEW LINK AND TIME FOR WINTER SERIES
- connect with other LGBTQ+ people who code in #RStats 🏳️🌈
- ask questions about R 🙋
- tell us about an R package you like 📦
- show us something R-related you’ve done 💻
Registration via rainbowr.org/meetups - NEW LINK AND TIME FOR WINTER SERIES
October 29, 2025 at 11:07 AM
🌈 rainbowR meet-up today: Wed Oct 29th, 4:30pm UTC 🌈
- connect with other LGBTQ+ people who code in #RStats 🏳️🌈
- ask questions about R 🙋
- tell us about an R package you like 📦
- show us something R-related you’ve done 💻
Registration via rainbowr.org/meetups - NEW LINK AND TIME FOR WINTER SERIES
- connect with other LGBTQ+ people who code in #RStats 🏳️🌈
- ask questions about R 🙋
- tell us about an R package you like 📦
- show us something R-related you’ve done 💻
Registration via rainbowr.org/meetups - NEW LINK AND TIME FOR WINTER SERIES
Am renewing my UK passport and - for the first time - noticed you can submit documentation to have an academic title added to the Observations page (e.g. Dr, Prof).
What are the reasons someone might choose to add a title? I imagine it invites more questions/risks when crossing borders?
What are the reasons someone might choose to add a title? I imagine it invites more questions/risks when crossing borders?
October 29, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Am renewing my UK passport and - for the first time - noticed you can submit documentation to have an academic title added to the Observations page (e.g. Dr, Prof).
What are the reasons someone might choose to add a title? I imagine it invites more questions/risks when crossing borders?
What are the reasons someone might choose to add a title? I imagine it invites more questions/risks when crossing borders?
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Queer Lives and the Politics of Categories:
Join us for a critical exploration of the politics of data & categories, & the implications for LGBTQIA+ communities in research & practice worldwide with Dr Kevin Guyan @kevinguyan.bsky.social.
5 November 2025 | 20:00 AEDT
Register: bit.ly/499OXyH
Join us for a critical exploration of the politics of data & categories, & the implications for LGBTQIA+ communities in research & practice worldwide with Dr Kevin Guyan @kevinguyan.bsky.social.
5 November 2025 | 20:00 AEDT
Register: bit.ly/499OXyH
October 28, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Queer Lives and the Politics of Categories:
Join us for a critical exploration of the politics of data & categories, & the implications for LGBTQIA+ communities in research & practice worldwide with Dr Kevin Guyan @kevinguyan.bsky.social.
5 November 2025 | 20:00 AEDT
Register: bit.ly/499OXyH
Join us for a critical exploration of the politics of data & categories, & the implications for LGBTQIA+ communities in research & practice worldwide with Dr Kevin Guyan @kevinguyan.bsky.social.
5 November 2025 | 20:00 AEDT
Register: bit.ly/499OXyH
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Our CfP information for LavLang32 is now live:
📅 6 January 2026 - Abstract submission open
⏱️28 March 2026 - Abstract submission deadline
📣 8 May 2026 - Notification of decisions
lavlang32.ppls.ed.ac.uk
📅 6 January 2026 - Abstract submission open
⏱️28 March 2026 - Abstract submission deadline
📣 8 May 2026 - Notification of decisions
lavlang32.ppls.ed.ac.uk
LavLang32 - Lavender Languages & Linguistics 32
2-4 September 2026: Queer (dis)belonging
lavlang32.ppls.ed.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Our CfP information for LavLang32 is now live:
📅 6 January 2026 - Abstract submission open
⏱️28 March 2026 - Abstract submission deadline
📣 8 May 2026 - Notification of decisions
lavlang32.ppls.ed.ac.uk
📅 6 January 2026 - Abstract submission open
⏱️28 March 2026 - Abstract submission deadline
📣 8 May 2026 - Notification of decisions
lavlang32.ppls.ed.ac.uk
Thanks Emma - delighted you enjoyed the book! ✨
Just finished reading Rainbow Trap by @kevinguyan.bsky.social and found it so insightful. The idea of “box breakers” resonated with me so much. Incredibly worthwhile read for anyone working with or interested in queer data.
October 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Thanks Emma - delighted you enjoyed the book! ✨
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Really fantastic talk yesterday at @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social by @kevinguyan.bsky.social on his latest book Rainbow Trap. I am now spending the rest of the week untangling all my thoughts on Queer data. Truly fascinating!
October 24, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Really fantastic talk yesterday at @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social by @kevinguyan.bsky.social on his latest book Rainbow Trap. I am now spending the rest of the week untangling all my thoughts on Queer data. Truly fascinating!
A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined for the Belfast launch of Rainbow Trap! A packed room + lots of great conversations.
@bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
#RainbowTrap #boxbreakers #LGBTQ #data #queerdata #research #policy #tech #books #newbooks
@bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
#RainbowTrap #boxbreakers #LGBTQ #data #queerdata #research #policy #tech #books #newbooks
October 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined for the Belfast launch of Rainbow Trap! A packed room + lots of great conversations.
@bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
#RainbowTrap #boxbreakers #LGBTQ #data #queerdata #research #policy #tech #books #newbooks
@bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
#RainbowTrap #boxbreakers #LGBTQ #data #queerdata #research #policy #tech #books #newbooks
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
New book review: Travis Campbell reviews "Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action", by Kevin Guyan.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action
Published in Feminist Economics (Ahead of Print, 2025)
www.tandfonline.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
New book review: Travis Campbell reviews "Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action", by Kevin Guyan.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
October 21, 2025 at 5:19 AM
BELFAST LAUNCH! 🚀 Join me on 21 Oct to explore ideas from my new book Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion.
Ulster University | 6pm | All welcome ✨
@gailneill.bsky.social @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rainbow-tr...
Ulster University | 6pm | All welcome ✨
@gailneill.bsky.social @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rainbow-tr...
Rainbow Trap – Belfast Launch
Join Dr Kevin Guyan to explore ideas from his new book Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 7:23 AM
BELFAST LAUNCH! 🚀 Join me on 21 Oct to explore ideas from my new book Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion.
Ulster University | 6pm | All welcome ✨
@gailneill.bsky.social @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rainbow-tr...
Ulster University | 6pm | All welcome ✨
@gailneill.bsky.social @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social @bloomsburypol.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rainbow-tr...
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
New online: The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) collection is now available on LSE Digital Library! We’ve digitised and published the GLF Diaries and the GLF newspaper Come Together. Further series from the archives will be added as digitisation continues.
1/2
digital.library.lse.ac.uk/collections/...
1/2
digital.library.lse.ac.uk/collections/...
October 14, 2025 at 11:16 AM
New online: The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) collection is now available on LSE Digital Library! We’ve digitised and published the GLF Diaries and the GLF newspaper Come Together. Further series from the archives will be added as digitisation continues.
1/2
digital.library.lse.ac.uk/collections/...
1/2
digital.library.lse.ac.uk/collections/...
Doing a few online events with universities in the US and Canada this month, including this talk today at 3pm EDT👇
October 14, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Doing a few online events with universities in the US and Canada this month, including this talk today at 3pm EDT👇
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Read my two letters to the #UK:
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...
United Kingdom: Commissioner addresses human rights issues in policing of protests and the situation of trans people - Commissioner for Human Rights - www.coe.int
Strasbourg 14/10/2025
www.coe.int
October 14, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Read my two letters to the #UK:
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
In today’s episode of #FixTheForms, meet the Box Breakers from @kevinguyan.bsky.social
If you have ever found the answer options of a form are all wrong for you, you too are a Box Breaker.
Pro tip for why people lie of forms: “Wrong answers only” - very common.
If you have ever found the answer options of a form are all wrong for you, you too are a Box Breaker.
Pro tip for why people lie of forms: “Wrong answers only” - very common.
🌈 It’s been fascinating to see which ideas from Rainbow Trap *stick* with readers – and the idea of box breakers has been one of those sticky ideas!
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
In today’s episode of #FixTheForms, meet the Box Breakers from @kevinguyan.bsky.social
If you have ever found the answer options of a form are all wrong for you, you too are a Box Breaker.
Pro tip for why people lie of forms: “Wrong answers only” - very common.
If you have ever found the answer options of a form are all wrong for you, you too are a Box Breaker.
Pro tip for why people lie of forms: “Wrong answers only” - very common.
🌈 It’s been fascinating to see which ideas from Rainbow Trap *stick* with readers – and the idea of box breakers has been one of those sticky ideas!
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
October 13, 2025 at 11:47 AM
🌈 It’s been fascinating to see which ideas from Rainbow Trap *stick* with readers – and the idea of box breakers has been one of those sticky ideas!
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
So... who are box breakers? 🧵
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
Again and again, Zack Polanski is cutting through by challenging purposefully misleading and derogatory framing.
Morgan's default when challenged has always been to splutter, mock and deny.
He has no defence against those who won't be intimidated or deflected.
Morgan's default when challenged has always been to splutter, mock and deny.
He has no defence against those who won't be intimidated or deflected.
Solidarity with all trans and intersex people having their existence debated every time a tv host hasn't done their prep and can't think of any more questions
October 12, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Again and again, Zack Polanski is cutting through by challenging purposefully misleading and derogatory framing.
Morgan's default when challenged has always been to splutter, mock and deny.
He has no defence against those who won't be intimidated or deflected.
Morgan's default when challenged has always been to splutter, mock and deny.
He has no defence against those who won't be intimidated or deflected.
Reposted by Dr Kevin Guyan
I wrote a little about some of the little details you might have missed in this video and why it hit me so hard as a trans person this morning:
www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...
www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...
October 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM
I wrote a little about some of the little details you might have missed in this video and why it hit me so hard as a trans person this morning:
www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...
www.burnsnotice.com/you-have-to-...