So You Want to Run a Sexuality Research Lab: Ethical Issues and Recommendations

Sexuality research engages with multiple disciplines and methodologies and sexuality researchers can receive a wide range of training. Though a common job duty for academics, researchers rarely receive formal training in how to establish and run a lab to conduct their research. In this paper, I walk through a variety of lab management tasks, such as selecting personnel, launching a program of research, conducting studies, and disseminating findings, and discuss ethical dilemmas that might arise in each of those in the context of sexuality research, such as befriending research assistants, conducting observational field research, and presenting negative results. I also provide specific recommendations for academics looking to establish a lab focused on gender and sexuality topics.