When I was working on the design of this research project, one of my top priorities was to make sure I was getting a diverse group of survey participants. If I create a research group that I know will have certain opinions, then my objectivity is compromised and the results are invalid. I worked hard to avoid that. Research of this nature can be self-selecting, and people with strong feelings will generally be attracted to the project, however, it's important to remember that those who have strong feeling include members who want to defend garment-wearing and those who struggle with garment-wearing. The results and the comments indicate that plenty of women participated in the survey to be helpful and supportive of the research, but didn't have strong feelings either way.
Social media accounts are an ideal way to access different demographics of people. Going into this, I knew that progressive LDS women and ex-Mormon women would spread the survey and provide a lot of information. Because of this, I put a lot of effort into getting the survey to more traditional or conservative members. (When I say progressive and conservative, I don't mean politically. I'm referring to whether they believe there should be change in the church or not) I looked for social media groups and accounts that promoted LDS beliefs and contacted them to see if they would post the survey. I also asked my active LDS friends if they were in online groups where the survey would be welcome.
To reach those that may not use social media, especially older generations, I used a snowball sampling method as well. The survey ended with a request that participants share the link with family and friends. Each time I posted the survey I personally asked people to share it. Many ex-Mormon's have active LDS parents or siblings, so I asked them specifically to share with their active family members.
I don't know everywhere that the survey was posted, but these are places I'm aware of so you'll have an idea:
Groups for women who served full-time missions
LDS marriage and family therapy accounts
LDS positive sexuality accounts
BYU Discord channel
Various LDS mom groups
Group for women serving in stake or ward Relief Society presidencies
Group for women serving in stake or ward Young Women presidencies
Group for LDS women with careers
Accounts and groups that provide support for mixed-faith marriages
Accounts focused on the LDS woman experience
Ex-Mormon support groups
Groups for LDS Women of Color
Ward and stake Facebook pages
If you saw the survey in a group you're in, drop me a line and let me know where! I love knowing where my survey has been.
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