A press release from the U.S. Census released today reveals new statistics on same-sex married couple and unmarried partner households -- and they've been recalculated to be even more paltry than they already were. According to revised estimates from the 2010 Census, there were 131,729 same-sex married couple households and 514,735 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States. (The U.S. population is 312,303,000.)
The Census Bureau stated:
The results of the 2010 Census revised estimates are closer to the results of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) for same-sex married and unmarried partners. The 2010 ACS estimated same-sex married couples at 152,335 and same-sex unmarried partners at 440,989.
The new, preferred figures revise earlier estimates of same-sex unmarried partners released this summer from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 because Census Bureau staff discovered an inconsistency in the responses in the 2010 Census summary file statistics that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples. In addition, a breakdown of couples who reported as same-sex spouses is now available. The summary file counts originally showed that there were 349,377 married couple households and 552,620 same-sex unmarried partner households.
Statistics on same-sex couple households are derived from two questions on the census and ACS questionnaire: relationship to householder and the sex of each person. When data were captured for these two questions on the 2010 Census door-to-door form, the wrong box may have been checked for the sex of a small percentage of opposite-sex spouses and unmarried partners. Because the population of opposite-sex married couples is large and the population of same-sex married couples in particular is small, an error of this type artificially inflates the number of same-sex married partners.
After discovering the inconsistency, Census Bureau staff developed another set of estimates to provide a more accurate way to measure same-sex couple households. The revised figures were developed by using an index of names to re-estimate the number of same-sex married and unmarried partners by the sex commonly associated with the person's first name.
"We understand how important it is for all groups to have accurate statistics that reflect who we are as a nation," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "As scientists, we noticed the inconsistency and developed the revised estimates to provide a more accurate portrait of the number of same-sex couples. We're providing all three -- the revised, original and ACS estimates -- together to provide users with the full, transparent picture of our current measurement of same-sex couples."
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
We're (Barely) Here, We're Queer, Get Used to It
I have to believe that many gay and lesbian couples are still opting not to self-identify as such in the Census. If there is strength in numbers, we still have a long way to go. (Where's Harvey Milk when we need him?) This update either makes me appreciate those who are willing to stick their necks out for our cause that much more, or hints that the 3-4% -- let alone the 10% -- estimate is wildly out of whack with reality. Thoughts?
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4 comments:
I doubt the 3-4% estimate is incorrect - rather, the Census is only tracking same-sex COUPLES, whether married or not. It doesn't attempt to estimate the number of gay INDIVIDUALS.
Yeah, I know we're only talking couples. I suppose 3 to 4% of 300 million is only 9 to 12 million people, which is pretty small to begin with. Something still just sounds off to me.
As I said before, I don't think the census takers were asking (allowed to ask) the right questions, and certainly not to all of the United States. If they asked any questions regarding sexual orientation and relationships, it was probably in communities that are liberal (the population wouldn't be offended by the nature of questions themselves, even if they aren't), and the questions weren't asked in communities where the percentage would be higher (than the number that the census wanted to report [What? The US Census biases their findings?]) Were you asked if you are gay and in relationship?
And the Millionaire Matchmaker says, "And they're all hoo-ahs. All of 'em."
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