Event 

U.S. Census LGBT Austin Town Hall

02/09/2010 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Mexican American Cultural Center - guide listing
600 River St - map
Austin TX 78701-4218

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Categories: Community - GLBT

Come learn about important changes made by the U.S. Census Bureau that will affect how lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are counted.

The Census Bureau recently announced a policy change. When gay and lesbian couples indicate they are married on the 2010 form, the Census will count them as married. This makes the Census the first Federal agency to recognize marriage of gay and lesbian couples.

While the Census does not ask anyone for their sexual orientation, it is important to note that knowing which "boxes" to check on the Census form will directly affect the counting of LGBT households.

The Census Bureau provided us with some answered to a few questions to give you an idea of the changes and who they may potentially impact the LGBT community.

How has the LGBT community been counted in the past?
Throughout its 220-year history the Census Bureau has evolved to accurately reflect our changing society, and the growing number of same-sex couples and marriages is just the latest societal change.  Since gay marriages did not legally exist in the 2000 Census, same-sex marriage responses had to be changed to same-sex “unmarried partners”.

What is the historic nature of this change in policy?
The Bush Administration interpreted the federal Defense of Marriage Act as prohibiting the release of federal statistics – including census statistics – on gay marriages. The Obama Administration reversed the policy of the previous Administration after a legal analysis concluded that reporting the data was, in fact, permitted under the law.

What is the potential impact of this new policy on the LGBT community?
As in every decade, the Census takes a portrait of who we are as nation, reflecting both our growth and our changing society.  The 2010 Census will be the first census since gay marriages have been legally recognized anywhere in the United States, and it will also be the first to generate data on the number of those marriages.

U.S. Census Bureau Representatives include:

• Gabriel A. Sanchez, Regional Director, Dallas
• Che Ruddell-Tabisola, National LGBT Partnerships
• Elizabeth Lopez Lyon, LGBT Communities & Governmental Partnership Specialist
• Paula Wright, Partnership Information Specialist

Presented by Equality Texas, official partner of the 2010 Census.