When does “inclusive data” start to do harm? Exploring the intersection of data and identity.

What are the considerations evaluators need to give capturing marginalised and minoritised communities’ lives and experiences within data sets?Dr Fiona Larner hosts Dr Kevin Guyan, Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Gender + Sexuality Data Lab, to discuss his work exploring the intersection of data and identity.You can find more information about the Evaluation Society’s 2026 conference at: https://evaluation.org.uk/community-learning/evaluation-conference/.Kevin’s latest book, Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025) will be available to buy in paperback from 1 June 2026.Rainbow Trap reveals how the fight for LGBTQ equalities in the UK is shaped – and constrained – by the classifications we encounter every day. From the recording of hate crimes to the evaluation of diversity programmes, Rainbow Trap documents how inclusive interventions – such as new legislation, calls for ‘more data’ and tech fixes – have attempted to bring historically marginalised communities out of the shadows.Yet, as part of the bargain, LGBTQ people need to locate themselves in an ever-growing list of classifications, categories and labels to ‘make sense’ to the very systems they are seeking to access. Buy via Bloomsbury Publishing here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/rainbow-trap-9781350631632/.Both of Kevin’s books, Rainbow Trip (2025) and Queer Data (2022) are available as audiobooks via Audible and most other audiobook platforms.Kevin’s recommended reading list includes:-    D’Ignazio, C. and Klein, L.F. (2020) Data Feminism.The MIT Press. (Open access)-    Benjamin, R. (2019) Race After Technology. Polity.-    McGlotten, S. (2016) Black Data. Duke University Press.View Episode 1 transcript: https://evaluation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EvalSoc_Pod_Ep1_Transcript.pdfAll episodes of the podcast can be found at: https://evaluatethis.riverside.com/.For more information about the work of the Evaluation Society: https://evaluation.org.uk/.Co-produced with Swanky Creative: www.swankycreative.co.uk.Hosted on Riverside. See https://riverside.com/ for more information.