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Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

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The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Patterns

Ask users for…

Gender

Use: Deployed
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.
Asking for gender in the VA.gov Profile, personal information section.
Contents of the What to know, additional information component.
Contents of the What to know before you decide to share your gender identity additional information component in Profile.

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.
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Last updated: Sep 12, 2022