2010 Census - It’s Personal and Political
It’s not just Uncle Sam - GLAD wants you to take part in the 2010 census!
This is an historic opportunity to show who we are as families. For the first time, the census will count married same-sex couples, in addition to counting same-sex couples living in the same household.
Visibility matters. If we’re not represented as part of the community, then we’re written off - legally, politically, and in the hearts and minds of other Americans. GLAD and all LGBT groups use census data in our advocacy work to make us visible to lawmakers, courts, the media, and the general public.
The last time there was a census, in 2000, there was no such thing as a “married same-sex couple.” Today, because of the hard work of the LGBT community, tens of thousands of same-sex couples are legally married and living all over the country. Those couples will be counted by the 2010 census.
It’s also important for couples who live together but are not married to participate in the census. This part of our community was undercounted last time around - let’s make ourselves visible, no matter where we live and no matter whether we are married or not.
No survey can capture the wonderful variety of our community, and the 2010 census is not a perfect tool. The form has not yet evolved to include questions about individual sexual orientation or gender identity (see the helpful FAQ at ourfamiliescount.org for more information on this). But the counting of married same-sex couples and same-sex households represents progress. This is an historic opportunity to gather information that our community itself would never have the resources to gather. That’s why participation is so important. When your census form arrives in the mail in early March, complete it, return it, and make sure you are counted!
For more information about the census, visit www.2010census.gov. You can also call GLAD’s InfoLine at 800-455-4523 with any questions.