Same-sex couplesUS Census and the American Community Survey

Gary J. GatesWilliams Distinguished Scholar

Counting same-sex couples

X

X

X

X

X

X

John and Tom consider themselves to be

unmarried partners

Anita and Maria got married in Iowa

Same-sex spouses exceed counts of legally married

couples by a factor of five. Do not interpret same-sex spouses as legally married.

By the numbers•US: 565,000 same-sex couples

▫150,000 same-sex spouses (in all states) 30-35,000 legally married same-sex couples 80,000 same-sex couples in non-marital forms

of legal recognition▫415,000 unmarried partners▫116,000 same-sex couples raising nearly a

quarter million children•Pennsylvania: 20,656 same-sex couples

▫6,487 same-sex spouses▫14,169 unmarried partners▫4,437 in Philadelphia

Same-sex couples in PA• ~4,300 same-sex

couples raising 8,600 children

• 20% rural• 17% non-white• 10% veterans

District (110th Congress)

Same-sex couples per 1000 households Congressperson

California-8 35.80 Nancy PelosiNew York-8 20.70 Jerrold NadlerCalifornia-9 17.22 Barbara Lee

California-12 16.52 Jackie SpeierWashington-7 16.48 Jim McDermott

California-5 14.78 Doris O. MatsuiGeorgia-5 14.63 John Lewis

California-45 14.23 Mary Bono MackDistrict of Columbia 14.12 Eleanor Holmes Norton

California-53 13.82 Susan A. Davis

Same-sex spouses per 1,000 households

Massachusetts 3.63Vermont 2.71Hawaii 2.43Utah 2.32Wyoming 2.28California 1.92Nevada 1.85Connecticut 1.79New Jersey 1.70Rhode Island 1.64

Census data challenge stereotypes• LGBT people all live in cities

▫1 in 6 same-sex couples live in a rural area• LGBT people are all white

▫1 in 4 people in same-sex couples are non-white• Few LGBT people are parents

▫1 in 5 same-sex couples are raising children▫2 in 5 non-white people in same-sex couples are

raising children• LGBT people are rich

▫1 in 5 children raised by same-sex couples live in poverty

Where have Census data been used?• Marriage/relationship recognition

▫Many same-sex couples look like married couples• Employment Non-Discrimination Act

▫Men in same-sex couples earn less than other men• Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell

▫65,000 LGBT people in the military• Uniting American Families Act

▫36,000 Binational couples• Attempts to ban LGBT adoption/fostering

▫65,000 adopted/14,100 foster children with LGBT parents

What’s new for LGBT people in Census 2010?

•Release separate counts of same-sex spouses and unmarried partners

•Explicit outreach to LGBT community•Follow-on study to alter future surveys to

get accurate estimates of legal marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnership

When will they ask sexual orientation/gender identity?•What to ask?

▫Sexual orientation question well vetted▫Gender identity

No consensus on appropriate question(s) Limited evidence about what questions work

•Many responses by proxy—questionable accuracy

•Decennial Census survey very short—new questions unlikely

•Additions to ACS and other prominent government surveys more likely

Why should LGBT people be invested in Census 2010?•Accurate count of same-sex couples important

▫Census/ACS data have been used in positive ways in nearly every LGBT policy debate

▫Provide evidence of the need for SO/GI questions on surveys

•LGBT engagement with the Census Bureau increases likelihood of getting SO/GI questions on surveys

•LGBT engagement with other groups mobilizing around the Census improves community relations and might create future allies

For more informationwww.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute

www.OurFamiliesCount.org