Kate Clinton: QUEER THE CENSUS

For the first time in history, the 2010 U.S. Census will allow same-sex couples to self-identify as either married or unmarried partners. The data collected is poised to have a huge impact for the gay, lesbian, bi and trans community in coming years.


Andrew McIlrath of the U.S. Census Bureau, and partnership specialist for gay, lesbian, bi and trans communities in Oregon, has supplied a great F.A.Q. to ensure that the pesky questionnaire is filled out correctly by the LGBT community.


Check it out, and make sure you’re represented correctly! Census forms will be delivered to households, and completed forms should be mailed back.


From April through July, census takers will visit households that did not submit a form through the mail, and the Census Bureau delivers population information to the President for apportionment in December.


Each of the 10 questions on the census form helps to determine how more than $400 billion will be allocated to communities across the country.


For more information, check out this UCLA Williams Institute presentation on the importance of an accurate count of LGBT Americans. Even more info here.