Mollie McQuillan, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, co-authored the editorial with Joseph Cimpian, professor of economics and education policy at New York University. 

McQuillan and Cimpian have consistently relied on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey—a CDC study that recently dropped gender identity questions due to an executive order—to assess the health and educational environments of adolescents. Through this data, McQuillan and their team have shown the crucial role school-based adult support plays in the lives of trans youth and have highlighted LGBTQ+-related stress as a significant yet often ignored factor contributing to rising suicidality among adolescent girls.

McQuillan hopes their recent editorial raises awareness about the need for robust data collection to prevent further harm to LGBTQ+ youth and to better recognize their strengths.

“There can be no evidence-based policymaking without systematic data collection,” McQuillan explains. “Having gender identity data helps prevent informational erasure, allowing for accurate, nuanced portrayals of young people’s experiences rather than relying on harmful assumptions and stereotypes.”

Without this data, McQuillan warns, public health and government agencies will face challenges in identifying needs, distributing resources, and responding effectively to the complex health, educational, and psychosocial issues affecting U.S. youth.

McQuillan’s broader research focuses on the intersections of education policy, social relationships, and LGBTQ+ student and educator health. Their recent work includes studies on the workplace climate for trans adults and how LGBTQ+-inclusive training for elementary teachers reduces disciplinary actions for all students.

In April, McQuillan was selected as one of only five scholars nationwide to receive funding from the prestigious William T. Grant Scholars Program—becoming the fifth UW–Madison scholar, and only the second in education, to earn this honor in the program’s 43-year history. McQuillan has also received Emerging Scholar Awards from the American Educational Research Association in both 2023 and 2025, as well as the 2023 Outstanding Policy Report award for evaluating a Wisconsin school district’s LGBTQ+ student support initiatives.

Source: https://education.wisc.edu/news/uw-madisons-mcquillan-urges-inclusion-of-gender-identity-data-in-federal-health-surveys/