Congressman Wants Questions About Sexual, Gender Identity on Census

A bill was introduced in the House to include sexual orientation and gender identity question among government surveys--including the U.S. census.

Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva brought the LGBT Data Inclusion Act to the House floor Friday. The bill has been referred to the House Oversight Committee.

The bill has 68 co-sponsors--predominantly Democrats.

"The current lack of sound data about sexual orientation and gender identity in many federal surveys means we are ill-prepared to meet the needs of these communities," Grijalva said in a statement. "To go uncounted is to be unseen in the eyes of policymakers, which is why we must develop a credible and confidential understanding of these vulnerable populations we currently know too little about."

The bill would require the census and other government surveys that break down demographic data to include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity. Like the census, the surveys are self-reporting, so there is no requirement to self-identify and the information is confidential.