Lawmakers: Census Should Include Gay Couples

By Kerry Eleveld

Gay U.S. representatives Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, and Jared Polis of Colorado along with 48 other congressional members sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag asking that the 2010 Census count same-sex married couples rather than altering their status.

Last year, the Bush administration -- citing the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions -- announced that lawfully married same-sex couples who marked "married" on their census forms would have their status changed to "unmarried partners" in the final count. Now, congressional members are calling on Orszag to reverse course.

"We are deeply concerned about the implications of this policy for same-sex couples and for the integrity of the Census as a whole and firmly believe the [Census] Bureau's primary objective should be to collect data and report it, not collect data and alter it," the members said in their letter.

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts a massive survey every 10 years, and during the last decennial census, no state had legalized same-sex marriages. Currently, same-sex couples can legally marry in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa. Meanwhile, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire have approved marriage-equality laws that will be in effect by the time of the count. And an estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages that are currently in question in California are reportedly unlikely to be annulled by the state supreme court even if Prop. 8 is upheld.

The congressional members told Orszag they believe that publicly reporting data collected on the status of same-sex couples in the United States does not equate to federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Rather, public reporting simply provides basic information about how Americans respond to the Census Bureau's questions.

"The Census is a vital tool of our democracy. Truthful answers must be recorded and publicly reported in order to ensure the most accurate count and the most democratic process. Americans who are legally married must not be marginalized," Baldwin said.

Frank added, "We are simply asking the Census Bureau to report the facts as they exist. This should not be controversial."

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Name: Jonathan
Date posted: 5/16/2009 4:44:00 PM
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota

Comment:
That's useless! I've been saying this for years because the majority of gay people I have talked to over the last 20 years are NOT part of a couple! If you base your statistics on gay percentages in society by couples, we will be one half of one percent. There must be a better way of asking this question without leaving out single gay and lesbian people who are neither in a couple or getting married. For the record, I am I the only one getting sick and tired of reading about gay marriage in every gay newspaper? This is lazy journalism - there is still a whole entire world of gay and lesbian news out there - life that is happening to gay single people also who are facing homelessness, or losing health insurance, having to take care of elderly parents alone, etc., but I never see any coverage of these issuses! Get out there!
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Name: Mike
Date posted: 5/15/2009 10:47:00 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
I read that congress has to approve the census questions 2 years in advanced. So, they will have to change law not policy.
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Name: Mike W.
Date posted: 5/15/2009 9:26:00 PM
Hometown: South Range, WI

Comment:
I agree with Glenn, all of us should be counted. A myriad of resource allocation decisions are made at all levels of government, based on these census numbers. If we aren't represented in the census, it's just that much easier to ignore us.
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Name: Glen
Date posted: 5/15/2009 6:41:00 PM
Hometown: Kissimmee

Comment:
The census should include all GLBT individuals, coupled or not. We deserve our numbers to be known so politicians can understand how much weight we have in upcoming elections. Being counted is a basic duty our government should perform, and it should include EVERYONE. I'm considering boycotting it if I cannot specify the fact that I'm gay.
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Name: Thomas
Date posted: 5/15/2009 4:24:00 PM
Hometown: Tallahassee, FloriDuh

Comment:
Wonder if the President will say anything about this issue. His silence on issues related to the LGBT community has been deafening. Thank god for the educated Northeast!
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Name: Pat
Date posted: 5/15/2009 2:20:00 PM
Hometown: Miami

Comment:
I will absolutely sign truthfully that we are a married couple. Our descendents will see this in 100 years, and it is vital we stand up and out! I am one of those 18,000 couples from California, and I WILL be counted as MARRIED to the love of my life!!
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Name: Danny
Date posted: 5/15/2009 1:49:00 PM
Hometown: California

Comment:
"I'm pretty sure denial of federal rights and benefits marginalizes those married americans quite a bit more than not counting them in the census." Certainly, equal rights are very important, and when we have equal rights, the census issue won't exist. However, even if we can't achieve equal rights immediately, ensuring that we're counted in the census will help a great deal in getting to the point of equality, while suppressing the census counts of married same-sex couples will hurt our quest. It would be very useful to get an accurate estimate of the number of existing marriages that are being hurt every day by federal DOMA policies, etc.
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Name: Preston
Date posted: 5/15/2009 12:37:00 PM
Hometown: Fishers, IN

Comment:
I remember several years ago participating in a census and the census-taker was an older woman. Living in an affluent, white, Republican area, I figured I'd take my life in my hands and I informed her of the relationship IN FULL and there was dead silence. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was, in reality, probably all of five seconds, she looked me directly in the eyes and said, "Good for you, honey!" in a loud and happy voice...
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Name: philip
Date posted: 5/15/2009 11:52:00 AM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
"The Census is a vital tool of our democracy. Truthful answers must be recorded and publicly reported in order to ensure the most accurate count and the most democratic process. Americans who are legally married must not be marginalized," Baldwin said. What about the Americans that are married and marginalized by the stupid DOMA. I'm pretty sure denial of federal rights and benefits marginalizes those married americans quite a bit more than not counting them in the census. bluprnt.com
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Name: Kenneth Paulsen
Date posted: 5/15/2009 11:38:00 AM
Hometown: Malden, Mass.

Comment:
When I receive the 2010 census form next spring, I have every intention of marking me and my husband as married. I will be truthful. The onus to report accurately is on the Bureau of the Census.

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