Australian LGBTIQA+ Census Inclusion Campaign

Update:  Just.Equal presented this community statement to the Parliament. The ABS has since committed to counting LGBTIQA+ people in the Census.

 

The 2021 Census excluded LGBTIQA+ people. This will perpetuate the invisibility of a significant part of the population.

The addition of three simple questions will solve that, allowing problems like stigma, discrimination and lack of services to be better addressed.

Organisations can add their support and individuals can sign this Declaration which we will present to the Government, the Opposition, Parliament and the Australian Bureau of Statistics before Census Day:

We the undersigned call on the federal government to commit to an inclusive Census in 2026.

In the 2026 Census we want to see 

  • A separate question on sexual orientation
  • A separate question on gender identity
  • A separate question on variations of sex characteristics

Our reasons for this are outlined here:

The Australian Census occurs every five years and provides crucial information about the makeup of the population that helps inform how and where services are delivered to the Australian population. No Census has ever asked Australians questions on sexual orientation or variations of sex characteristics or whether they are trans or gender diverse.

Research shows that LGBTIQA+ Australians experience worse social and economic outcomes than other Australians, with members of these communities reporting difficulties in accessing health, employment and other services because of stigma and discrimination.

The 2021 Census was an opportunity to recognise and understand this population for the first time in order for state, territory and federal governments to better meet their needs. This has already occurred in comparable countries like Canada and the UK to the benefit of LGBTIQA+ people, their families and communities.

But the Federal Government decided the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which runs the Census, would not include questions that have been requested by a range of LGBTIQA+ organisations, and that meet the ABS’s own guidelines on the recognition of sex and gender. These questions would have told us the number of LGBTIQA+ Australians, where they live and what their needs are.

Instead, the ABS only included under ‘sex’ an option to also nominate ‘non-binary sex’. The question will not recognise Australians of diverse sexual orientations or sex characteristics and it cannot meaningfully be answered by the many trans and gender diverse people who do not identify as non-binary. It will therefore not produce any meaningful or valid data about the LGBTIQ+ population.

There is also a risk that, because it is likely only a small number of people will answer the question, the results will be used against the trans and gender diverse population by opponents who will cite the small number of responses to justify continuing discrimination against, and underinvestment in services for, this population.

We are also concerned that the Census in its current form renders many lesbian, gay and bisexual Australians invisible. Currently, the Census allows Australians to indicate if they are in a cohabiting same-sex relationship. However, this does not count same-sex attracted Australians who are not in a relationship, not in a cohabiting relationship, and not in a same-sex relationship. While gathering data on same-sex relationships is useful, it is not a surrogate for gathering data on all LGB Australians.

We condemn the 2021 Census for continuing to render LGBTIQA+ Australians invisible and to making it harder to address the stigma, discrimination and lack of services we experience.

We call on the Federal Government to commit to following its own guidelines on recognition of sex and gender by including in the 2026 Census the best practice questions already developed in consultation with the LGBTIQ+ community.

Organisations can join us, The Body Shop, Bi Alliance, Working It Out, Transgender Victoria, Equality Tasmania, PFLAG Capital Region, Queensland Council of LGBT
I Health, ATSAQ & A Gender Agenda, and add their support by emailing us and providing their logo at [email protected]

Individuals can show their support by joining this declaration:

Who's signing

Diane Stapleton
Rebecca Sinclair
Reinette Joachim
Heidi English
Lucy Dal Molin
Jayne Centurion
Sophie Winters
Leilani Carbonari
Maya Hurwitz
Chloe Scott
Mikayle Newaz
Ariana Franchina
Ellen Bruin
Jessica Lowe
Cate Ewin
Jillian Scaife
Madeleine Scaife
Darcy Franklyn
Courtney Anderson
Christi Smith
Paula Gilbard
Austin Daw
Emily Bates
Ingrid Rosemann
Jeremy Tucker
Josh McCormack
Tegan White
Lydia Holt
Robert Dean
Madeleine Taylor
739 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Diane Stapleton
    signed 2024-08-30 08:22:57 +1000
  • Rebecca Sinclair
    signed 2024-08-30 06:05:10 +1000
  • Reinette Joachim
    signed 2024-08-28 14:01:40 +1000
  • Heidi English
    signed 2023-08-20 11:55:56 +1000
  • Lucy Dal Molin
    signed 2023-08-13 14:32:34 +1000
  • Jayne Centurion
    signed 2023-08-02 16:19:01 +1000
  • Sophie Winters
    signed 2023-07-28 11:47:25 +1000
  • Leilani Carbonari
    signed 2023-07-21 20:39:46 +1000
  • Maya Hurwitz
    signed 2023-07-12 19:03:39 +1000
  • Chloe Scott
    signed 2023-07-12 15:51:06 +1000
  • Mikayle Newaz
    signed 2023-07-12 14:26:05 +1000
  • Ariana Franchina
    signed 2023-07-12 10:47:47 +1000
  • Ellen Bruin
    signed 2023-07-07 14:22:40 +1000
  • Jessica Lowe
    signed 2023-06-22 16:26:44 +1000
  • Cate Ewin
    signed 2023-06-20 15:27:42 +1000
  • Jillian Scaife
    signed 2023-06-18 13:07:14 +1000
  • Madeleine Scaife
    signed 2023-06-18 13:04:26 +1000
  • Darcy Franklyn
    signed 2023-06-03 15:14:10 +1000
  • Courtney Anderson
    signed 2023-05-31 18:32:31 +1000
  • Christi Smith
    signed 2023-05-14 16:35:20 +1000
  • Paula Gilbard
    signed 2023-05-14 10:07:37 +1000
  • Austin Daw
    signed 2023-05-10 16:36:43 +1000
  • Emily Bates
    signed 2023-05-10 02:00:13 +1000
  • Ingrid Rosemann
    signed 2023-05-09 18:39:39 +1000
  • Jeremy Tucker
    signed 2023-05-09 16:58:36 +1000
  • Josh McCormack
    signed 2023-05-09 16:04:21 +1000
  • Tegan White
    signed 2023-05-08 15:02:08 +1000
  • Lydia Holt
    signed 2023-05-08 14:30:27 +1000
  • Robert Dean
    signed 2023-05-05 16:23:57 +1000
  • Madeleine Taylor
    signed 2023-05-02 15:34:37 +1000

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