Queer the Census
Today is Census Day!
Welcome to Third Cultured, a Queer Reading of the American Empire through crisis-after-crisis — written by yours truly, Kyle Borland.
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Happy Census Day! #QueerTheCensus
If you haven’t filled out the Census yet, stop reading this email right now and do so!
It’s more important than ever to make sure you are counted in the Census, especially for LGBTQ/QTPOC people. As the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Guide to the 2020 Census details, vulnerable populations like “transgender and Queer people, LGB people, people of color, immigrants, people who are experiencing homelessness, renters, people living in rural areas, people with low incomes, single-parent households, people with limited English proficiency, and young children” are overwhelmingly undercounted.
The 2010 Census was the first time “same-sex married couples” were counted and, this year, that has been extended to capture data on “same-sex unmarried couples” as well.
This is paltry progress compared to what the Obama administration put into place. Trump’s administration removed questions on sexual orientation and gender identity, so the 2020 Census still does not count every member of our community. It notably excludes transgender people, gender non-conforming and non-binary people, bisexual people, LGBTQ people who are not living with their spouse or unmarried partner, LGBTQ people who are not in relationships, asexual people, or intersex people.
That’s not even getting into Queer folks tendency to cluster into communes!
However, our community is more dependent on public programs like Medicaid, food stamps, and housing vouchers than others, so it is critical we fill out the Census. If there’s one thing we don’t lack, it’s the ability to show out when given the opportunity.
Stay safe and healthy, beautiful people. And, thanks for reading.
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xoxo,
Kyle (@kgborland)
