If you're a long-time Bilerico reader, you might remember the demographic survey we did right before we re-launched nationally. Now that we've got a full year as the Bilerico Project under our belts, we wanted to run the survey again and see how things have changed. Obviously, knowing our demographics will help us to better serve our readers.
To entice you to take the survey, we're offering up one of our largest prize packages yet and it will keep growing until the survey closes! I know we have some great giveaways coming up in the next month, and I'll be sure to include extra copies in this prize package too. You could win a library of queer books, several CDs and DVDs and a board game just for taking our demographics survey!
You can stop the survey at the end of any page, but you must complete the entire survey to win the prizes. The first three pages are the most important (and the first two are the longest by far!). It took me about 8 minutes to fill in the entire survey, but you've got a few minutes to help out your favorite blog, right?!
Current prize package items after the jump along with how to win.
So what are we giving away to bribe you into taking the survey? We've got a ton of stuff with more on the way! Here's what we've got in the kitty so far:
- Beth Arentsens's new CD, Sap (See our review here.)
- Gay & Lesbian Parenting Choices by Brette McWhorter Sember
- The new board game "Gift Trap" (It's fun!)
- The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Season 3 DVD set
- The Couples Contract for a Lasting Relationship by Ed Sherman and Bruce Janke (with a CD full of contract and agreement samples)
- Gay & Lesbian Medical Rights by Brette McWhorter Sember
- GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens by Kelly Huegel
- Renaissance Killer by Christopher Poole (A gay assassin's memoir!)
- The Complete Gay Divorce by Brette McWhorter Sember
At the end of the survey is a box for you to put your e-mail address to enter the contest. When the survey closes, we'll choose an entry at random to win the prize. You can only enter once.
REMEMBER: You have to complete the entire survey to win the prize package!
Because contributors are encouraged to take the survey, they are eligible to win the prize package. International entries are allowed. Contest ends on Sunday, November 23rd at midnight.
Good luck!
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25 Comments
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The survey isn't up to date on some of the TV shows asked about.
Rory | October 21, 2008 9:34 AM
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I don't mean to be annoying, but why do we have to pick a gender?
Dale | October 21, 2008 10:00 AM
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I started to take the survey, but it was too long for my break. I'll do it later.
BUT, You asked us how we identify, and I could only pick one. I identify equally as a lesbian and a transgender person. NO "ed" after "transgender!!!" We're not a thing, we're people.
Also, you asked what religion and I go to an independent Christian church, and "Christian" was not an option, nor a place for typing in "Other."
MonicaHelms | October 21, 2008 10:19 AM
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Great points Monica.
Also how can you have queer in the title of the blog and not as an option in the question: "Which of the following do you most closely identify as"?
Nick | October 21, 2008 10:31 AM
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I agree. I realize this is a standard survey, but why should Bilerico bother surveying its readers, and how can it get information that will actually be useful, if the only gender options are "male" and "female" and the survey thinks that "transgender" is a sexual orientation (are we to assume all trans folks are straight? Clearly not true)?
I was also frustrated at not being able to select both "Jewish Reform" and "atheist," without an "other" field to clarify, but that's much less frustrating to me.
Aviva | October 22, 2008 1:24 PM
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I don't know what to say other than, "Feel free not to take the survey."
The reason we're bothering is because we're part of an ad network that spans hundreds of blogs - not just LGBT ones. The survey designers didn't realize the ins and outs of trans discussions and they made it what it is. I can't do anything about that. Not at all.
My suggestion? If you're MTF choose female. if you're FTM choose male. If you're not comfortable choosing one of the other, leave it blank.
But I have to admit - I don't think I've ever taken a survey - online or otherwise - that's offered any different choices than male and female. I imagine surveys that are directly aimed at the LGBT community would include that option, but most aren't and don't sadly. I'm not saying it's right - I'm saying it is what it is.
Besides, I'm much more interested in learning age ranges, income amounts, other blogs read, TV shows watched, etc since that will help us to target those advertisers instead of whether or not a reader is transgender.
Bil Browning | October 22, 2008 3:17 PM
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Actually, the TAVA survey had 5 choices, if I recall correctly.
MonicaHelms | October 23, 2008 8:34 AM
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We also had 5 sexual orientations and we didn't include a choice for gender idenity (transgender) in with the sexual orientation choices.
MonicaHelms | October 23, 2008 8:44 AM
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Yes, but you were an LGBT specific survey, Monica. You were looking for trans veterans. Of course, your survey would include trans folks! :)
Bil Browning | October 23, 2008 8:47 AM
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I'm pretty sure that you have to answer for sex, you can't just skip it.
quiteneil | October 24, 2008 10:27 PM
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Is there a way to have other gender choices besides male and female in the survey? Otherwise I'm not comfortable filling it out, since I'm not either.
zythyra | October 21, 2008 10:28 AM
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All:
I didn't create the questions. It's a standard questionnaire provided by BlogAds to those of us who run them. Everyone from Joe.My.God. to Pam's House Blend to Americablog will have the same questions if they run the survey. Since they serve a wide audience and probably aren't up on LGBT issues at the BlogAds office, I'd imagine they didn't realize their mistakes.
I noticed the "ed" on transgender myself and wrote in about it, but I also mentioned that it's Survivor Gabon and not Fiji, etc.
Monica - if you started the survey but didn't finish it, it will count you as having taken the survey already and won't let you finish. I warned you that you could stop at any time and that's what it means - stop. LOL
Bil Browning | October 21, 2008 11:02 AM
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Bil, there are people who feel it's rude and agrammatical to say "transgender" people, so I don't know how you're going to win.
Being transgendered is a description of a type of person, and therefore an adjective. Using "transgender" as a noun makes us a "thing".
So it often comes down to who's going to complain the loudest about which way term is used. In any case, there is precedent for whichever you chose to point to that you aren't being discriminatory.
Rory | October 21, 2008 12:40 PM
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"Transgendered" is describing a condition, not a person. That person is transgendered, as if they have a disease or something. Do you call gay men "gayed." "He's gayed." Are African Americans called "Africaned?" I am a person. I am a transgender, lesbian woman. I am a transgender person. I am a Transgender American. I am not "transgendered." You don't put the "ed" with other categories of people, so leave it off of us.
MonicaHelms | October 21, 2008 1:37 PM
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If someone uses the phrases, "he is a gay", "she is a black", you'd likely think the person is ignorant at best, or more likely, prejudiced. Saying "he is a transgender" is the same form. It's like saying, "that is a table".
If someone asked me, "are you Jewish?", I'd say "yes". If someone asked me, "are you a Jew?", I'd be thinking, "Whatchyou talkin' 'bout, Willis!?!".
In any case, this demonstrates my point about it being a no win situation, Bil.
Rory | October 21, 2008 8:30 PM
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Well, maybe. I would posit that as I approach 70, I am aged, and hardly notice the "ed" distinction. Saying I'm just an "ag" skews my occupational category. (:
Don Sherfick | October 23, 2008 9:13 AM
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I have a feeling that the denial of access may have to do with the IP address that comes from a computer. The IP address from this computer maybe denied, but not from the desktop at home.
MonicaHelms | October 21, 2008 1:41 PM
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Hurray! You actually had agriculture as a occupational industry, not many on the Web include it in an occupational listing. I usually pick other. On a sad note, I had to own up to my NRA affiliation.
Lynn David | October 21, 2008 11:12 AM
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i second monica's comment. i'll take this survey if they change it so i can identify with both my sexual orientation and gender identity. i don't feel like i can pick one over the other. i think a lot of transgendered folks are going to tell you this same thing - the survey will probably come out with lower trans representation than actually visits this site. (i'm a pretty loyal visitor - i read the news & comments here every morning.)
maybe it would be helpful to provide info for us to contact blogads directly? i'd be happy to shoot them a note.
jay | October 21, 2008 11:27 AM
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I took it. Household income question was hard to answer, tho, considering my lifestyle.
Alex Blaze | October 23, 2008 12:29 AM
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So far 100 people have taken the survey, so I'm throwing it up on top again to -hopefully- grab more responses.
Bil Browning | October 23, 2008 8:49 AM
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"Household income question was hard to answer, tho, considering my lifestyle."
Would you care to elaborate on that a bit? The only thing that comes to mind is that the term "household" is fluid enough so as not to clearly say who besides yourself ought to be included. I googled on "Revolving Doors" and "rotation rate" but didn't come up with anything relevant. Same with "census" and "Barbie Doll collection"
Don Sherfick | October 23, 2008 9:18 AM
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I never know how to answer that question. Do roommates count? I've had roommates before and didn't know how to answer. What about living with a boyfriend but not really legally living there? I wasn't on the lease, I didn't have papers.... What about when I live with my parents? Do I count their incomes?
And, yes, Don, my Barbies. While I don't worry about Beach Barbie (unemployed slut), I know that my Doctor Barbie has a pretty good salary because she gave up her general practice and went into plastic surgery.
Alex Blaze | October 23, 2008 5:46 PM
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Bil mentioned that if you started to take the survey and stopped, then you will not be able to complete the survey. I am one of those people who started the survey, but couldn't pick a sex and the survey wouldn't let me continue without answering that mandatory question. So I stopped.
I just went back to the survey, to gamely fill it out in support of TBP, but the website identified me as already have taken the survey. I don't know what the survey analysis will do with my partial answers, but I hope that if they get enough participants who don't pick a sex then maybe next time they will provide more choices than M/F.
Dale | October 23, 2008 10:01 PM
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I tend not to answer questions about personal or household income. Other than that, the survey was quick and adequate.
NancyP | October 24, 2008 3:30 AM
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