It seems that gay men and women have gotten particularly more involved with their government than ever before. Keep up the good work. We wanted to share with you – What You Need To Know About The 2010 U.S. Census:
This year’s census still presents some gray areas as far as answering properly. The U.S. Census has been around since the days of George Washington and is a federal obligation, spelled out in the Constitution. While our decennial to answer the questions in the census may be a little more complicated than it was in 1790, it’s still imperative to fill it out. Granted, it does not count gay U.S. citizens living alone, the census has gathered figures on same-sex couples living together. It also helps federal and local governments allocate key programs like HIV/AIDS funding, housing assistance, and jobs to appropriate areas.
Your Privacy
If it gets down to a census taker coming to your house, they are sworn by law to protect your information. If they violate their lifelong oath and spill the beans to a cop that your partner’s visa has expired, or they tell your homophobic neighbor that you’re gay, the census taker or bureau can face up to $250,000 in fines, five years in jail, or both. Only after 72 years can the data be referenced for historical or genealogical research.
Out & Proud
There really is no way to specify your sexual orientation on your census form, except for same-sex couples who are married, registered partners, or cohabitants. Faith Cheltenham, vice president of BiNet, a bisexual, pansexual, and queer-identified advocacy group, suggests that people wanting to identify on their census slap on one of those handy pink stickers from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Queer the Census campaign. The stickers are affixed to the back of the census envelope, where you can identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or a straight ally. If you’re stickerless (you have to order by March 22), Cheltenham suggests just writing your sexual orientation or gender identity on the back of the envelope. If you’re transgender, the National Center for Transgender Equality suggests checking off the gender with which you identify on the form itself.
Married Anyone?
If you and your partner are legally married, you can mark that you’re married on the form. This year the census bureau will show how many people report living with a same-sex partner, but even if you mark that you’re married because your state allows it, all same-sex couples — whether married, domestic partners, in a civil union, or simply cohabiting — will still be classified by the federal government as “unmarried partners.”
Truth or Consequences?
Of course you could just not fill out your census form, but guess what? You’ll face a fine. According to the Census Bureau, if you don’t fill out one of those forms, you may be fined $100. And if you falsify information? You will be fined up to $500! And if you get caught providing false information to cause an inaccurate count, you’ll get slapped with a $1,000 fine and possibly a year in jail.
It’s simple: 10 questions, 10 honest answers and you’re done !
For questions, concerns or comments contact the new U.S. Census Director:
Robert M. Groves at:
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
Robert.M.Groves@census.gov
