CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The Canadian government is asking citizens to declare their sexual orientation in a national survey, reports the Ottawa Citizen. The survey builds on the last census, which for the first time asked how many common-law couples were of the same sex. "This is a touchy subject that could raise fears in individuals about their private lives," acknowledged Pierre Turcotte, Statistics Canada's chief of social reporting. But the agency wants to know numbers because of human rights laws, he said. Although discrimination based on sexual orientation is justification for launching a complaint in Canada, there is no data regarding sexual orientation as there is for other discriminatory grounds, such as gender, race, and religion. Statistics Canada has conducted several preliminary tests in which people indicated that they would be willing to state their sexual orientation, but only if the question was asked for a good reason, said Turcotte. The agency selected its Canadian Community Health Study--a telephone survey of 130,000 Canadians conducted every two years--because the information is provided to community health centers to better understand their clientele. The study began earlier this month and will continue until the end of the year. The health survey is considered less intrusive than the census, in which one member of a household reports for everyone. The question that Statistics Canada is asking is: "Do you consider yourself to be heterosexual, homosexual--that is lesbian or gay--or bisexual?" Gay rights activist John Fisher predicted that Statistics Canada's numbers will be conservative because many Canadians will not tell the government that they are gay. "If it's a teenager living at home with his or her parents who has not yet disclosed their sexual orientation to their family, it is unlikely they're going to disclose it to a government statistician," said Fisher, executive director of Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
Biden will hammer Trump over abortion bans in Florida speech
April 23 2024 5:00 AM
Tristan Snell, who brought down Trump University, sees conviction in hush money case
April 22 2024 7:36 PM
Joe Biden admin marks Earth Day with major environmental initiatives
April 22 2024 4:18 PM
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: 'We want to end' trans and gender nonconforming teachers
April 22 2024 4:13 PM
Nonbinary 17-year-old killed two years after being reported missing
April 22 2024 3:46 PM