{
  "id": 517231,
  "title": "Australia adds optional gender identity and sexual orientation questions to census",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/australia-adds-optional-gender-identity-and-sexual-orientation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T00:39:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/10/australia-adds-optional-gender-identity-and-sexual-orientation-questions-to-census"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nThese 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.\n\nDeputy 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.\n\nPrime 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.\n\nDemographer 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.\n\nCurrently, 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.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Australians can disclose sexual orientation and gender identity in census for first time.",
    "Questions optional for respondents 16+, include terms of personal choice.",
    "Delayed inclusion due to concerns, reversed after LGBTQ+ advocacy backlash."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The inclusion of optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in the Australian census marks a step towards better recognition and representation of LGBTQ+ individuals in national data collection.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}