Interpret this: Need for Census data on gay couples needs defending
”Why does the census ask if people are young or old, black or white, married or single? It’s because we want to understand if the country is meeting the public-policy needs of those Americans. That’s particularly so for LGBT Americans.”
Joe Solmonese of HRC explaining the need for collecting information on same-sex couples in the 2010 U.S. Census. Data is to be released in 2011. (Washington Post)
”When we say we’d like to talk about inclusive services that include LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) people, they ask how many are there. We really don’t yet have a way to provide that the way we can with, say, Hispanics or women.”
Karen Taylor of Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders. This post article also quotes right-wing social conservatives, like FRC’s Peter Sprigg, who plan to use the first U.S. Census data being collected about same-sex couples to draw pre-set conclusions that gays don’t want to get married, so they shouldn’t be given the opportunity. (Washington Post)
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