Patterns
Ask users for…
Gender
Use with caution: Candidate
Follow this pattern whenever you need to ask Veterans their gender.
Usage
When to use this pattern
- Don’t ask if it does not benefit the user experience. You should only ask users about gender when absolutely necessary.
Note: Many forms are based off of paper forms with limited fields for gender. Work with your stakeholder to expand the fields.
Examples
![Asking for gender in the VA.gov Profile.](/images/patterns/ask-users-for/gender/gender-identity-profile.png)
![Contents of the What to know, additional information component.](/images/patterns/ask-users-for/gender/gender-identity-profile-what-to-know.png)
How to design and build
How this pattern works
- Provide a way to opt-out of answering. A checkbox labeled “Prefer not to answer” should be provided.
- Provide a way to give a ‘None of the above’ answer. A checkbox labeled “A gender not listed here.” should be provided.
- Explain what happens to the information collected. Always explain to Veterans how the information they provide is used, shared, and protected.