By Gary J. Gates, Williams Distinguished Scholar, Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law

LGBT families need to be visible and counted in the 2010 Census.  Census data gives a snapshot of the LGBT community and informs many of the public and private policies that impact the lives of LGBT individuals and their families.  The Census is a deciding factor in many areas of life – how we’re represented in government, funding levels for hospitals, schools, roads, and community centers, and researchers use it to find out more about our community.  Data from the Census has been used to estimate the impact of bans against LGBT adoption, to give light to the number of LGBT people living in poverty, and to make the case for marriage equality.

This year, for the first time, the Census will release counts of both same-sex spouses and same-sex unmarried partners.  In the past, the Census Bureau combined these two groups, counting all same-sex couples as unmarried partners.  But for 2010, the Census will report the number of same-sex couples who identify themselves as spouses and the number who use the term “unmarried partner.”

When your form arrives, if you’re part of a same-sex couple and you’ve been legally married or you see yourselves as spouses, you should identify one person as a “husband or wife.”  Other same-sex couples may feel more comfortable using the term “unmarried partner.”  This term identifies couples who are in a “close personal relationship” but aren’t legally married or do not think of themselves as spouses.

If you are a bi-racial/ethnic couple, you might want to also want to be aware that some government statistics classify households by race and ethnicity.  Bi-racial/ethnic couples should note that this is determined using the race/ethnicity of Person 1, the person who fills out the Census form for the household.

While the Census doesn’t ask questions about sexual orientation or gender identity (so there won’t be data about single LGBT people), the data collected in the Census are vitally important in helping us to understand the diversity and complexity of the LGBT community.  We must all do everything we can to make sure that our families are visible and counted.

For more information about LGBT people and Census 2010, go to the Williams Institute’s Census information web page at http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Census2010_Sponsor.html.    You can also get information at www.ourfamiliescount.org.  Both websites include materials in English and Spanish.

Have follow up questions for Gary Gates?

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• Don Oellerich, Deputy Chief Economist, Office of Human Services Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services
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• Laura M. Waldon, LGBT Partnership Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau
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• Gary J. Gates, Williams Distinguished Scholar, Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law
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• Kara S. Suffredini, Director of Public Policy and Community Engagement, Family Equality Council
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