Does the census ask about sexuality?

St._Andalou

So the census is taking place in April. I applied to be an enumerator and it just got me wondering if the census asks any direct questions about a person's sexual orientation.

I was 18 when I last filled it in, and I've been racking my brains. Can anyone remember if the last one did? If not, do you think it should? Seeing as they ask about everything from which fuel you use, your mode of transport, to your general health, I wonder why not throw in orientation? They findings would be interesting, if nothing else.

Google hasn't given me a definite answer, but I found this, which states that the C.S.O. was looking into getting more detailed info on same-sex partners/civil partnerships.

lottpaul

There was no question regarding sexuality in the past census. However, there was a section regarding marital status etc which included "co-habiting" with partner - and if there were only 2 men or 2 women listed on the form and if 2+2=4 etc........ so the CSO was able to calculate the number of cohabiting same sex couples. Not sure if they did much with the info though.
Should there be one - it would be interesting but it would not produce an accurate result. How many married gay people, gay teenagers etc etc would feel free to answer truthfully?

St._Andalou

Answering my own question. I re-checked the C.S.O. website and they recently posted a list of the questions on the census form.

It makes no reference to sexual orientation. A bit of further research says that Scotland piloted a scheme asking about sexual orientation but it has not yet been introduced.

• Same-sex partner has been included with "partner" in the "Marital Status" category. Civil partnerships are not listed. The Civil Partnership Bill came into law on the 1st of January, and to register you must give three months' notice. This means that some same-sex couples could have technically entered into their partnership by April 10th, the date of the census, but I suppose it's the reason it hasn't been given its own category.

Annasopra

no - I think very few censuss internationally do - I think Scotland were recently debating it - I'm not aware of any country that asks but I might be wrong

Its very problematic - people may see questions like that as way too personal and most not out will obviously not want to declare it

There will be a question or questions on civil partnership but I read some of the sample things on this and it seemed very badly worded

St._Andalou

lottpaul wrote: »

There was no question regarding sexuality in the past census. However, there was a section regarding marital status etc which included "co-habiting" with partner - and if there were only 2 men or 2 women listed on the form and if 2+2=4 etc........ so the CSO was able to calculate the number of cohabiting same sex couples. Not sure if they did much with the info though.
Should there be one - it would be interesting but it would not produce an accurate result. How many married gay people, gay teenagers etc etc would feel free to answer truthfully?

Oops, you beat me to it.

You're right; I was thinking the same thing. It wouldn't produce an accurate result. If someone's in the closet at home they're not going to list GAY on their census form.

Still, it would be fairly interesting and one way to try to determine the percentage of LGB people in the country. Most surveys I've read vary wildly in their estimations from 3-10%.

Censuses are never really accurate, anyway. I know so many people who list their religion as "Catholic" out of habit for example, even though they're in no way religious.

St._Andalou

Johnnymcg wrote: »

There will be a question or questions on civil partnership but I read some of the sample things on this and it seemed very badly worded

Nah, the question on civil partnerships doesn't seem to have made the final cut.

smcgiff

St._Andalou wrote: »

Censuses are never really accurate, anyway. I know so many people who list their religion as "Catholic" out of habit for example, even though they're in no way religious.

The result I imagine would be the complete reverse of those pertaining to be fluent in Irish.

Also, the census is filled out by one person and their bias would be most influential. No son of my mine is gay etc.

St._Andalou

smcgiff wrote: »

The result I imagine would be the complete reverse of those pertaining to be fluent in Irish.

Also, the census is filled out by one person and their bias would be most influential. No son of my mine is gay etc.

Normally you're expected to fill out your own section if you're over 15. "Person 1", head of the household, fills out their part and questions relating to accommodation; then person 2,3,4 etc., fill out the section that relates to them, but I imagine it varies from house to house.

Annasopra

In the past was there not an expectation that the head of house would fill out everything?

Annasopra

The wording where civil partnerships are not included in 'marital status' is crazy - hundreds of couples are officially civil partnered this week because they got married abroad but the census won't actually show that - heterosexual couples can show that they are unmarried partners or married yet gay couples can't distinguish between whether they are civil partners (legally married) or just partners

Chuchoter

I think it would be largely pointless. My parents fill out the census, there would be no way they'd put me down as gay as long as I lived in the house. You would need a separate mini one specifically about gender and sexuality that was one per person.

St._Andalou

Johnnymcg wrote: »

The wording where civil partnerships are not included in 'marital status' is crazy - hundreds of couples are officially civil partnered this week because they got married abroad but the census won't actually show that - heterosexual couples can show that they are unmarried partners or married yet gay couples can't distinguish between whether they are civil partners (legally married) or just partners

+1. I wonder why they backed down in the end. It's disappointing that gay couples who have legal recognition will be classified with people who are just living together.

crayolastereo wrote: »

I think it would be largely pointless. My parents fill out the census, there would be no way they'd put me down as gay as long as I lived in the house. You would need a separate mini one specifically about gender and sexuality that was one per person.

That would be the case for some people, true. But you are supposed to fill out your own section yourself. This year the census has questions asking you to rate your own health and well being, so in theory someone can't just fill that in for you.

wonderfulname

In all fairness there is no point in gathering statistics on civil partnerships a matter of months after they were introduced, although if they were bothered to get stats on gay couples they could have separated partners and same sex partners in q4, then again you have that stat if you cross reference those who answered "partners" with households with two people of the same sex?

And as for a question on sexuality, surely it would have to be made applicable only to adults anyway? So it should give a pretty all right figure for number of people out considering it counts people in a household on the night as opposed to at their primary residence? So if you're not there mammy and daddy shouldn't be filling out your form?

EDIT:
Anyone else find it strange that they have yet to change "single" to "unmarried" considering that question only covers marriage and not any other partnership? Its not 1960 like...

And just an additional point on filling out your own section of the Census;

census.ie wrote:

On census day you should complete the form in respect of each person in your household and sign the declaration at the end of the form when it is complete.

So the head of household is supposed to fill out the whole thing, just not for anyone who happens not to be home at the time.

Annasopra

wonderfulname wrote: »

In all fairness there is no point in gathering statistics on civil partnerships a matter of months after they were introduced,

I dont agree with that I think it is actually worthwhile to get those figures because you are actually then getting figures on how many people opted to register abroad where they could

wonderfulname

Johnnymcg wrote: »

I dont agree with that I think it is actually worthwhile to get those figures because you are actually then getting figures on how many people opted to register abroad where they could

That's a fair point actually, I suppose we'll get that figure come the next census, (census figures - registrar figures) when its no longer of so much interest though.

Endymion

The problem with putting it on the census is that you're legally obliged to fill out the census as accurately as possible. A lot of people, myself included, don't feel the state has a right to know their sexuality.

St._Andalou wrote: »

Normally you're expected to fill out your own section if you're over 15. "Person 1", head of the household, fills out their part and questions relating to accommodation; then person 2,3,4 etc., fill out the section that relates to them, but I imagine it varies from house to house.

Johnnymcg wrote: »

In the past was there not an expectation that the head of house would fill out everything?

Pretty much. I know at home, the mother always filled it out.

St._Andalou

Endymion wrote: »

The problem with putting it on the census is that you're legally obliged to fill out the census as accurately as possible. A lot of people, myself included, don't feel the state has a right to know their sexuality.

But then, does the State have the right to know anything about you? If the census asks everything from religion to how you get to work, how is sexuality any different?