Jump to content

Census and sexuality / gender questions


AroaceScriptette

Recommended Posts

AroaceScriptette

Heyy, 

 

So in England, our census is being done this month. I dont know much about it and if other countries are also doing it at the same time. This is apparently the first time a census will ask about sexuality and gender identity. 

 

I live in Brighton (a very LGBT+ friendly city, well known for its pride festival) and I saw a post about a charity called switchboard who are offering advice to LGBT+ people about ensuring they can represent themselves even if they are not out yet. What an amazing thing btw! 

 

I wanted to let people know to start with as I think anyone in the UK can access this (?) but also to ask if anyone knows if asexuality is included in the census? I know there is this huge debate about whether we belong in the LGBT+ community and still find it hard to know if we are to be represented in these things. 

 

Like I said, I dont know tons about this but thought it was important to spread awareness of this. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
AroaceScriptette
43 minutes ago, Acing It said:

Snap! 🙂

 

I had no idea there was another post on this! So from what I understand asexuality can be written in an "other" box but is not it's own distinct box? Honestly, that's so disappointing and they should do better!

Link to post
Share on other sites

We (AVEN) were involved in consultations with the ONS on this. I'll post an update later, or you can probably find my report on this by searching the forums. (For example, we presented this petition to them:

  )

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is background and some relevant links in the thread linked above: these tell the story of our consultation efforts with the ONS.

 

Here is a better formatted version of the open letter from academics, therapists and educators we presented to the ONS at one of their consultations at which AVEN was invited, back in around 2016:

https://www.asexuality.org/?q=openletter

 

At one of the ONS roadshows, I quoted the outcome of the WorldPride 2017 summit from Madrid (at which AVEN and several other ace activists were present) that supported the inclusion of asexuality:

https://www.worldpridemadrid2017.com/en/summit/declaration

 

Unfortunately the outcome, as far as I understand it, is that asexuality will not be added as an option for the sexual orientation question, but rather they will have a fill in "other" option. The reason for this they gave at the time (2016 or so) was that they had basically already decided on the "heterosexual, gay, bisexual, other" options, based on research done ten years ago (when asexuality was less well known). The only change our efforts managed to make is that the "other" option will be a fill in, instead of recording a bare number.

 

The last draft I saw (from sometime in 2019), the accompanying guidance does mention asexuality as a possible thing you could write in the "other" box for the sexual orientation question. However the guidance I saw also had a somewhat confused definition of sexual orientation, which included romantic attraction as well as sexual. This could put (for example) romantic aces in an awkward position. Should they record their sexual orientation as "other - asexual", or should they pick the option based on their romantic attraction? By one reading, only aro aces should record "other - asexual". Unfortunately this is likely to skew the results, and probably underestimate asexuality. I hope they've fixed this.

 

We were also consulted on the gender and sex questions. Last I saw (again 2019) these were a complete train wreck, despite the input of multiple LGBT associations (including us). They treated intersex as a gender identity and the entire thing was a confused mess. Of course I gave them feedback on this on behalf of AVEN, as did I assume all the other LGBT associations consulted, so let's hope the final version is a lot better.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Blaiddmelyn

Given I've already done my census - hopefully nobody turns up unexpectedly at my flat on 21 March meaning I have to re-do it to factor them in! - can confirm that there is an option to tick "Other" and then write your orientation in. I didn't read the guidance in full though on the romantic/non-romantic orientation. Maybe I should have done.

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Blaiddmelyn said:

Given I've already done my census - hopefully nobody turns up unexpectedly at my flat on 21 March meaning I have to re-do it to factor them in! - can confirm that there is an option to tick "Other" and then write your orientation in. I didn't read the guidance in full though on the romantic/non-romantic orientation. Maybe I should have done.

Ooh I didn't know it was available already! Or does it depend on area?

 

It would be interesting to know if the guidance explicitly refers to asexuality (as the 2019 draft did) and if it still gives a confusing definition of sexual orientation.

 

Btw for those who don't know @Blaiddmelyn was a key part of the research group who helped put together my briefing notes for the 2016 ONS consultation. :)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Blaiddmelyn
44 minutes ago, michaeld said:

Ooh I didn't know it was available already! Or does it depend on area?

 

It would be interesting to know if the guidance explicitly refers to asexuality (as the 2019 draft did) and if it still gives a confusing definition of sexual orientation.

 

Btw for those who don't know @Blaiddmelyn was a key part of the research group who helped put together my briefing notes for the 2016 ONS consultation. :)

Dunno. Just opened my door and found an envelope telling me to do the census online. Went online and did it. Was very sleep deprived at the time - I'm not convinced the question actually had any guidance now that I think on it but honestly, anything could have happened that evening and it wouldn't have sunk in. I'll see if I can re-log back on. 

 

Edit: I cannot log back on. I have to request a new code which would make me restart the census. I think they'll get the point from my saying I'm ace, regardless of what the guidance said anyway 😛

 

Edit 2: the guidance is here: Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation? - Census 2021 . Could be read however but since they explicitly say asexual or pansexual are valid answers for the "Other" box, I don't think they're expecting aces to necessarily tick another box.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...