Queer Kentucky, Moore Lab launch interactive data dashboard featuring experiences of 3,000+ LGBTQ+ Kentuckians
In 2024, according to Kentucky’s State Profile by the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit initiative looking at fairness throughout America, the state ranked “low” on their overall LGBTQ+ policy. Recently, as Kentucky’s 2025 legislative session concluded, anti-LGBTQ+ agendas moved forward with a reversal on conversion therapy and restrictions to gender-affirming care, among the shocking outcomes.
As shifts in LGBTQ+ policies continue to unfold, a new groundbreaking study is prioritizing Queer voices in the state. The Queer Kentucky Survey is a first-of-its-kind survey by Queer Kentucky that was supported by The Moore Lab, a research lab run by Dr. Justin X Moore, a faculty member at The University of Kentucky. This study was not supported by UK or other university units.
“A survey like this is important because much public health information on risk factors, health behaviors, and disease outcomes are non-inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity demographic,” said Moore, the principal investigator for the study.
Moore, alongside 8 project partners including Queer Kentucky staff and other researchers, created the survey to gain insight into the needs, experiences, and priorities of LGBTQ+ individuals across the state. Through community-based initiatives and events, 3,852 adults were surveyed between April 13, 2024 and July 15, 2024.
“The response exceeded our expectations and speaks to the community’s interest and need for this kind of work,” said Dr. Sydney Howard, a research program manager at the University of Kentucky.
Among the participants, 5% were a part of the Trans community, and 85% identified as gay, bisexual, lesbian or queer. With the age range from 18 to over 65 years old, 90% were younger than 40 years of age.
Howard joined the study during its implementation phase in April 2024, and alongside Dr. Moore worked to disseminate the survey at local events such as the first annual Kentucky LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness Fair at Bluegrass Care Navigators in Lexington. Since survey submissions closed, Howard has worked on a dashboard, creating a data visualization of the information collected. “My goal was to ensure the findings were not only accessible but also meaningful to the broader community, especially the people who shared their stories with us,” said Howard.
The publicly accessible dashboard allows users to navigate the information and understand the LGBTQ+ population in the state. Users can swipe through data around HIV testing, PrEP use, health behaviors, alcohol consumption and geographical reach. The visual also breaks down factors that impact the community from discrimination, connectedness and belongingness.
“So many resources are being taken away, that it is particularly crucial now more than ever for us to really think about acknowledging and pointing out for folks the ways that we can support each other and take care of each other in spite of there being a lack of resources in other spaces,” said Dr. Keith Watts, an assistant professor and researcher at the University of Kentucky.
For this study, researchers used a cross-sectional approach, a type of research that collects responses at one point in time. Watts believes this newfound information, collected over the course of a few years, can inform long-term trends of what is affecting the LGBTQ+ community in Kentucky. For Queer Kentucky and The Moore Lab, the data fills a gap that can also inform advocacy, programming, and support systems.
“Without data and empirical evidence to support, it is difficult to get people to understand disadvantages/needs certain communities face. It is imperative that we maintain a strong partnership with Queer Kentucky and grow our efforts to make an impact within all communities of Kentucky,” said Moore.
The results of the survey continue to be examined by researchers, and over the course of the next few months, Queer Kentucky will release a series diving deeper into the data collected around substance use, harm reduction and sexual behavior.
As LGBTQ+ data faces uncertainty, with a number of research and resources already stripped from federal websites, the need for local efforts is greater than ever. The Queer Kentucky Survey has been certified by the Institutional Review Board, confirming the results will be published and presented to other medical professionals.
Queer Kentucky, with the support of The Moore Lab, is excited to launch a followup survey for 2025. After listening to the needs of our community, we wanted to dive further into questions around our experiences with substance use, prevention care with sexual health, and our knowledge and/or usage of other harm reduction resources. You can learn more here or go directly to the survey with this link.
