2010 Census to include same-sex unions data

Fri, 2009-06-19 09:47

Photo: Getty Images

While many gays are none-too-pleased with Obama's sluggish movement on grappling with and overturning Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), our new President has been taking baby steps. He did declare June national LGBT Pride month, recently issued a directive shielding federal employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and increasing some benefits to same-sex partners, and now we've learned that the White House is looking to include same-sex unions in the 2010 Census count.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the administration has asked the Census Bureau to "determine changes needed in tabulation software to allow for same-sex marriage data to be released early in 2011 with other detailed demographic information from the decennial count."

This is not the first time that the Census bureau has collected data on same-sex unions, but as DOMA was previously interpreted as barring those numbers from being released. The Obama administration will no longer abide by that interpretation.

However, the Wall Street Journal notes that gathering accurate data on same-sex unions may be easier said than done:

"Before the White House's plan emerged, Howard Hogan, associate director for demographic programs at the Census Bureau, said data from its 2007 American Community Survey showed more than 340,000 same-sex couples as being in marriages. But according to data from Massachusetts, the only state that permitted gay marriages in 2007, about 11,000 marriage licenses were issued for same-sex couples."

Just think how impressive the numbers would be if we could actually get married in more than a handful of states.

Previously > June was made for Pride