From: Mia H H Lam Subject: FN 2591:N CENSUS 2000, MAKE YOUR SS HOUSEHOLD COUNT! (fwd) Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 14:12:06 -1000 Aloha awakea kakou. Passing this along from kaikuahine Rae . . . . In March and April 2000, the United Sates Census Bureau will mail a census form to each American household. This year, as in 1990, the Census form will include a question critical to our ability to determine the scope and shape of same-sex couples and their children who share a household. The form allows for two adults who are living together to designate their relationship as "Unmarried Partners." When the census is completed, information about the numbers and demographics of same-sex unmarried couples will be available. When the census was taken in 1990, the Census Bureau did not count any answer by a same-sex couple who marked "spouse" to describe their relationship. The Bureau considered it a mistake because it is legally impossible for same-sex couples to marry. This year the Census Bureau has indicated that it will simply re-categorize the answer from "spouse" to "unmarried partner" so the data is not lost. The safest bet for being counted is to describe a same-sex relationship in its legal term "unmarried partner". This will ensure that your family is counted. In 1990, approximately 150,000 same-sex households claimed the status of unmarried partner. Most agree that this is a severe undercount of the actual number of same-sex partners who are living together. The families of same-sex partners deserve to be counted so that greater diversity in the American family can be reflected and presented to law makers and others with the power to provide essential benefits and recognition. The form is not yet equipped to count the full diversity of American families, (for example: bisexual people in opposite-sex relationships and partners not living in the same household will not be reflected, and it is not clear what the Bureau will do with multiple unmarried partner families) but the ability for same-sex couples living together to be counted is a marked improvement. For more information go to http://www.WeCount.org. The site is currently under construction, but is reserved for The Census 2000 Visibility Project. The sight will include information on the importance of counting same-sex couples and will have flyers you can download for local education work, such as placing this information in your chapter newsletter.