Anger over questions on sexual orientation and gender being left out of census

The census has two new questions for the first time in 15 years but one group says they are being ignored in the national snapshot.

LGBTQI+ activists are angry that questions about gender and sexual orientation have been left out of tonight’s national census.

Every five years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) requires every Australian household fill out a census form at exactly the same time to get a picture of the nation as a whole – where we live, what our households look like, do we live alone or in multi-generational families, how much we earn or if we have any religious beliefs.

However, LGBTQI activists have called for a question about sexuality and gender to make it into the census, to gauge how many Aussies identify as being on the queer spectrum.

Anna Brown, the chief executive of Equality Australia, said LGBTQI+ people were essentially being “erased”.

“We remain invisible,” she told news.com.au.

“Without these questions, the once-in-five-year snapshot of the population won’t capture the full diversity of our community.

“It’s a missed opportunity to inform crucial decisions about what services are provided to our communities, and where.”

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Mardi Gras protesters dance in Hyde Park in Darlinghurst after marching from Taylor Square to Hyde Park. 6th March 2021. Picture by Damian Shaw

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Ms Brown said it was “crucial” to have an accurate idea of Australia’s queer community, so that services could meet their “uniques needs”.

She explained that this kind of information could help with all kinds of things, such as prevalence of STIs in certain LGBT communities, chronic health conditions, experiences of violence and greater levels of addiction.

Not to mention it would help develop a greater understanding of the mental health battle people face, with Ms Brown saying LGBT people are five times more likely to attempt suicide, and almost one in two transgender children have attempted suicide.

Ms Brown said it was proving difficult to get an accurate read on the true number of LGBTQI people in Australia, as surveys conducted by universities and other research institutes couldn’t possibly reach every single citizen in the country like the census could.

Prominent Australian drag and reality TV star Courtney Act, teamed up with Equality Australia to slam the government for “counting out” people in the LGBTQI+ community in tonight’s census.

Speaking to The Project last Thursday, Act said: “Do you know how many LGBTQI folks live in Australia? Well it turns out no-one does.”

“Census data is used to allocate resources appropriately across Australia, so for gender and sexuality to not be included in this census is just a bit peculiar,” Act continued.

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With the census coming up next Tuesday I chatted with @theprojecttv about the fact that there are still no questions about sexuality, gender or variations in sexual characteristics on the survey. #countusin

pic.twitter.com/twOUV0T9ui

— Courtney Act (@courtneyact) August 4, 2021

Two new questions have been added for this year’s census — the first new questions since 2006.

One is about long-term health conditions such as asthma, depression or dementia.

A second asks about service in the Australian Defence Force, including the reserves.

Census director Caroline Deans told the ABC that questions about gender and sexual orientation had been on their shortlist, but ultimately they decided against it.

“Through ongoing assessment, feasibility testing and research within the community, the ultimate questions that got up were around health and veteran service,” Ms Deans said.

“What we have now been able to do is include those questions in more of our other surveys, so they won‘t be on the survey this time, but they are included in things like our national mental health survey.”

Courtney Act said the government was “counting out” queer Australians.

While respondents aren’t asked about their sexuality, they are expected to share their sex, which is tricky for a non-binary or transgender Australian.

In a statement on its website, the ABS has defined a person‘s sex as being based on their chromosomes, hormones, reproductive organs and the sex they were born with.

“Gender is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, woman or non-binary person,” the ABS states.

“A person’s gender may differ from their sex and may also differ from what is indicated on their legal documents.

“The 2021 Census will collect information on sex but will not collect information on gender.”

Ms Brown pointed out this could be harmful for transgender and intersex people.

“It will be difficult and potentially distressing for trans people,” she said.

Outside of the binary and filling in the Australian Census. 1. It asks your sex, not gender
2. If you select non-binary sex, it gives you a free-text option (albeit about 'sex')
3. This is how I filled it in
4. Free-text means you won't mess w/stats for ppl who are intersex pic.twitter.com/K3CkpxLK66

— Prof Sandy O'Sullivan (Wiradjuri, trans they/them) (@sandyosullivan) July 30, 2021

Professor Sandy O’Sullivan, a gender studies lecturer at Macquarie University, said this meant transgender and non-binary people like themselves either had to lie on the form or be triggered.

“If you’re outside of the gender binary, you also must lie on it,” the professor wrote in a subsequent tweet.

Lying on your census form carries hefty fines to the tune of $2200.

Prof. O’Sullivan advised those in the LGBTQI community to fill out their census form online, and not in hard copy, as a non-binary drop down box appeared.

“Only in the online form, in the ’sex’ question, you can click above Male/Female and another option will appear,” they wrote.

“Then click non-binary sex and then write your gender in the free-text area.”