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The UK census - consultation with the Office of National Statistics


michaeld

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I'm finally ready to post about this here! I'm pretty excited by this. :) But I really need people's help.

For a few weeks I've been corresponding with researchers from the Office of National Statistics (UK); they contacted us for research subjects.

"The ONS 2021 Census topic consultation identified a clear need among data users for improved information on sexual identity, especially in relation to policy development, service provision and fulfilling duties under the Equality Act 2010."

The ONS are therefore very likely to include a Sexual Identity question on the UK census in 2021. Well... the UK census as taken in England and Wales anyway; my understanding is that other bodies have responsibility for Scotland and Northern Ireland. It'd be nice if they followed suit.

I have argued that asexuality should be included as an option in the sexual identity question on the 2021 census. And... I'm going to a consultation meeting on 23 August in London as a rep of AVEN, where I will make this case. It's great they are taking asexuality seriously enough to invite a rep from AVEN.

I don't think it needs saying that getting asexuality as an option on the sexual identity question the 2021 census would be a *huge* result. For those who don't know, the UK census is once a decade and is compulsory for people living in the UK. (The sexual id question may be optional or have a "don't want to say option" - I'm not sure of this yet.)

Asexuality has suffered from a paucity of good data. While there have been attempts at extrapolating a figure for the prevalence of asexuality, we don't have data on anything like a national scale. The UK census is generally considered a goldmine of interesting stats - we could use it to compute correlations with everything else on the UK census, over at least the population of England and Wales, if not the rest of the UK. Further, the UK census is extremely influential - other censuses / employment surveys are likely to follow what the UK census does. Finally simply having an option of asexuality will mean the word asexuality is now in every household in England and Wales, which is huge for raising awareness.

Therefore it's hugely important I make the best case I can to get asexuality as an option in the sexual id question in the 2021 census. But this is where I really, really need help with my research and preparations.

I'd like to put together a focus team to help me prepare over the next few weeks. This is a clearly time limited project, given the meeting is 23 August. Here's what I need help with:

  • Identify the most important facts and statistics to make the case. E.g. if I'm asked - is asexuality really something that affects people... I want to have the best available data on depression rates / mental health issues in asexuals at my fingertips. Not that depression is the only issue here - that's just an example - but it's little facts like these that could help make a case. Part of this is anticipating what facts are useful. Part of it is finding them. The facts are out there - we just need to know where to look or whom to ask.
  • Coordinate an open letter from researchers. I am in contact with a number of leading researchers who are willing to coauthor / sign an open letter making the case that asexuality should be included in the UK census. Of course it's up to researchers if they wish to sign. But it needs coordination on our end. If you're interested let me know and I'll describe in more detail what we need to do to coordinate this.
  • It's possible we'll set up a petition on AVEN / social media for people to sign, saying they wish asexuality to be included. I'm not sold on this idea - it needs consideration, but I'd like to hear people's thoughts on it.
  • We might need to draft a press release or two.
  • Getting individual testimonials could also be powerful. How would it make you feel if asexuality were included? If I could present a few of these anonymously to make the case, that would be good.
  • I need someone to go carefully through the Equalities Act 2010. I will do that too but as I might miss something that could be important to us I'd like help with this.
  • I'd also like to understand the research that led us to this point. (2021 Census topic consultation) I'd like someone to carefully go through the main findings with me.
  • Finally I'd like to get together some posters, information cards and business cards for me to give out at the meeting.

There's way too much for me to do by myself in less than 3 weeks. There's a lot of research in that. But also some drafting - text, info cards (a bit of graphic design perhaps?), press releases.

Who would like to be involved?

This should be of interest not only to people in the UK - but everywhere else too as having data on this kind of scale would be a major research breakthrough and other countries may follow suit (or even beat the UK to it if they have a census before 2021!) So people from any country are very welcome to help. There are some parts where UK specific knowledge is needed / beneficial but by no means all.

Please put a note here or PM me if you'd like to help with any of the above points.

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I'm not in the UK, but I'd like to help with some of the things not specific to that.

Here are some areas where data gathered can produce meaningful statistics:

  • Mental health (diagnosed or self-reported)
  • Using mental health resources (how many people with mental health issues are seeking help)
  • Marital status (spread a more accurate picture of asexual people in romantic/marital relationships)
  • Housing (if asexual people are disproportionately single, how does this affect access to affordable housing)
  • Distribution of asexuals among basic demographic measures - gender, age, education, religion, region, etc. - compared to the general population

I will read through that consultation report when I have the time and see if I can help you with interpreting that. It's been a while since I worked in this area, so I might need to stretch some mental muscles.

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Too late for me to do it tonight, but I'll look at getting you over a personal testimonial over to you tomorrow. I had a quick look at Equality Act 2010 as well, but it may as well be written in another language to me (I can't read Legalees), but I did notice the following for definition of sexual orientation :( :

(1) Sexual orientation means a person's sexual orientation towards—

(a)persons of the same sex,

(b)persons of the opposite sex, or

©persons of either sex

source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/12.

Also had a quick look a copy of the Scottish Census 2011 to remind me what was asked then. Sexual Orientation doesn't appear to be asked at all (closest is about legal marriage status).

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Thanks both!

Snow Cone - great points. We should see what stats we have on all those.

Scott - yes this is the first time sexual identity will be asked about. (Actually it's not completely confirmed yet that it will, but it looks very likely at least in England and Wales.) That was...

The ONS 2021 Census topic consultation identified a clear need among data users for improved information on sexual identity, especially in relation to policy development, service provision and fulfilling duties under the Equality Act 2010.

The ONS are therefore very likely to include a Sexual Identity question on the UK census in 2021. Well... the UK census as taken in England and Wales anyway; my understanding is that other bodies have responsibility for Scotland and Northern Ireland. It'd be nice if they followed suit.

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D'oh, I miss read your original post, thinking you were saying that it'll be the first time asexually would be considered, not sexual orirantation in general.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We're almost there! I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped, whether that's important comments in this thread (Snow Cone's helpful suggestions, Scott's testimonial sent by PM) or the dedicated team of helpers who've put so much time and effort over the last few weeks into this project (Blaiddmelyn, Ciri, Timewarp, Nina*, Julia*, Bumbles, Tystie, Joseph*, Heart)

* full name not given as I don't know if they want their full name in public; the rest are AVEN names or variations thereof.

Gosh I hope I didn't miss anyone. If I did, sorry and thank you as well. It's been a fun last few weeks and fingers crossed for Tuesday.

Quick update.

  • Members of the team have done lots of research on the Equalities Act 2010. I'm now in a far better position than I was to make a case. Ditto previous ONS research.
  • The open letter from researchers - we'll post about it in the next day or so.
  • We have a couple of personal testimonials to use.
  • I'm collecting our business cards tomorrow morning to give out at the meeting.

So now it's all down to the meeting itself. I don't know what to expect but I'm confident I'll be able to make a case people will listen to. Expect an update after Tuesday. :)

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Good job to all. Sorry that the only contribution I did was the testimonial, but I didn't think I'd be much help elsewhere. So glad to see others managed to do what sounds like great work :) Look forward to hear how it goes on Tuesday

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