Census question is about sexuality not sex

[Wilem]

It is compulsory to return a census form. The job is usually done on a "per household" basis. What if someone in the house has not yet disclosed their sexual identity to the head of the household who will be completing the form?

If the stats are going to be incomplete, how is the data helpful? Consequently, what's the point?

With the current record of security on personal data, I find it difficult to trust these official busybodies. I'm somewhat unclear as to why the Greens, the TUC and now Stonewall are so strongly in favour. There are many households where this whole issue is going to be problematic.

Sabrina's probably right to an extent. Plus I suppose it gives equality type people nice statistics to quote and/or use for initiatives.

In which case, surely the point of this data is to give a measure of open sexualities? And in these sorts of matters results are always going to be fuzzy round the edges, because of the denedance on self awareness, and, as you say, *how* open you are.


Hopefully putting this question into a census will, like andy posted, spread the question across many similar surveys, help towards making the whole different-sexualities thing as commonplace inconsequental as it should be. Fingers crossed and that.