Australia adds optional gender identity and sexual orientation questions to census

Australians are now able to disclose their sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time in the country's census, which takes place every five years. The 66-question survey, held on August 11, 2024, is the first under a center-left Labor Party government since 2011.

The census questions, approved after a backflip by the current government, allow respondents 16 years and older to choose from a range of sexual orientation options, including straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, and the option to provide a term of their choice. Similarly, respondents can select from man, woman, nonbinary, or provide another term that better describes their gender identity that differs from their birth registration.

These questions are optional, along with a question about religion that has been included since the first census in 1911. The Australian government, however, decided to include the sexuality and gender questions despite initial concerns about potential divisiveness.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles had initially vowed to include such questions in the census while the party campaigned in 2022. However, the government initially dropped the questions for two years before reversing its decision following backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and criticism from some Labor lawmakers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has supported LGBTQ+ causes, confirmed the inclusion of the questions in the next census after nearly a week of criticism. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Chief Statistician David Gruen revealed that the bureau found significant interest in asking gender and sexual orientation questions during public consultations. Gruen emphasized that collecting this information is crucial for some, while others may not want to share it.

Demographer Liz Allen noted that Australia lags behind other countries in addressing gender and sexual orientation in the census. Countries like Britain, New Zealand, and Canada have already included similar questions. Allen suggested that the questions could be expanded to include information on intersex individuals, who are born with biological characteristics that do not align with typical definitions of male or female.

Currently, the U.S. census only allows two responses to its gender question: male or female, and does not specifically inquire about sexual orientation. However, the 2020 census allowed same-sex relationships to be listed in the household relationship field. The ABS expects over 85% of responses to come from online submissions, with nearly 11 million forms expected by Monday.